Fig. 4: Knockdown of TARP-γ8 in the ventral hippocampus induces depressive-like phenotypes in mice.

a AAV-expressing constructs encoding GFP and shRNAs targeting TARP-γ8 and region-specific expression of GFP in the ventral hippocampus of mice. b Targeted locations and confocal images of AAV-mediated GFP (green) expression in the ventral hippocampus. Scale bar = 100 μm (inside), 500 μm (outside). Experiments were repeated independently three times with similar results. c Quantification of TARP-γ8 protein expression (n = 6 mice per group). d, e Immobility time in the TST (d) and FST (e) (n = 11 mice in AAV-Scr-shRNA, n = 10 mice in AAV-Cacng8-shRNA). f Total distance traveled in the OFT (n = 11 mice in AAV-Scr-shRNA, n = 10 mice in AAV-Cacng8-shRNA). g The representative image of western blot. h The quantification of total and surface protein expression of GluA1 and GluA2 (n = 16 mice in AAV-Scr-shRNA, n = 10 mice in AAV-Cacng8-shRNA). i Representative traces of AMPARs-mediated mEPSC recordings from different groups. j Whole-cell patch-clamp was used to record AMPARs-mediated mEPSC of CA1 neurons in the ventral hippocampus with GFP (bright) expression. Scale bar = 50 μm. k Quantification of cumulative probability and amplitude and frequency of mEPSCs (n = 11 cells from four mice in AAV-Scr-shRNA, n = 13 cells from 6 mice in AAV-Cacng8-shRNA). Comparisons were performed by unpaired, two-tailed t test. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. All numbers (n) are biologically independent experiments. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.