Fig. 5: Acute PLX3397 treatment facilitates the microglial pruning of glutamatergic synapses.
A Analysis of vGlut1 (red) engulfment in CD68 (green) phagocytic puncta of Iba1 positive (magenta) in the hippocampal CA1 region (upper image). DAPI (in blue) was used to counterstain nuclei. Composite images showing the vGlut1 (red) and Iba1 (green) or the vGlut1 (red) and CD68 (green) immunofluorescence channels are shown in the high magnification (images below). Arrowheads point to the colocalization of markers. B The number of vGlut1/Iba1 colocalization spots Is significantly elevated upon PLX treatment compared to vehicle (*p < 0.05) group. C Area of vGlut1/Iba1 colocalization spots is significantly increased in PLX + Aβ1–42 group compared to vehicle (*p < 0.05) group. D The number of vGlut1/CD68 colocalization spots is found increased in the Aβ+ group compared to vehicle (**p < 0.01), Aβ1–42 (**p < 0.01) and Aβscrambled (**p < 0.01) groups (n > 4/group). E Area of vGlut1/CD68 colocalization spots is significantly increased in Aβ1–42 + PLX group compared to vehicle (**p < 0.01), Aβ (**p < 0.01) and Aβscrambled (**p < 0.01) groups (n > 4/group). F The orthogonal side views (XZ, XY planes) from the confocal z-stack (Fiji, ImageJ, NIH, USA) of the vGlut1/CD68 double immunofluorescence staining confirm vGlut1 (red) staining within the CD68 positive phagosomal vesicles (green). Graph bars indicate mean ± SEM. Scale bars: upper image, 30 μm; images below, 10 μm.
