Fig. 4: The effects of apoptosis of the MeAOXTR+AI and MeAOXTR+VMHvl on consolation and aggression. | Nature Communications

Fig. 4: The effects of apoptosis of the MeAOXTR+AI and MeAOXTR+VMHvl on consolation and aggression.

From: Distinct medial amygdala oxytocin receptor neurons projections respectively control consolation or aggression in male mandarin voles

Fig. 4

a, b Diagram showing protocol (adapted from The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates by Paxinos and Franklin, a) and schedule (b) of virus injection for apoptosis of bilateral MeAOXTR+AI or MeAOXTR+VMHvl. c, d Representative co-labeling images of AI-retro (c)/VMHvl-retro (d) Caspase3 or EGFP (green) and anti-OXTR (OXTR-ir, Cy3, red) cells in the MeA (scale bars, 200 μm). The enlarged views of the selected boxed areas (300 μm × 300 μm) (scale bars, 50 μm). e Numbers of OXTR-ir cells in the MeA between AI-retro EGFP and Casp3 groups, and between VMHvl-retro EGFP and Caspase3 groups. AI-retro EGFP versus Casp3, p = 0.0007; VMHvl-retro EGFP versus Casp3, p = 0.0004. n = 4, 3, 4, and 3 voles in AI-retro EGFP, AI-retro Casp3, VMHvl-retro EGFP and VMHvl-retro Casp3 groups, respectively. f, g, i, j Duration proportion and frequency of allogrooming, and frequency of sniffing siblings between AI-retro EGFP and Csap3 groups (f, g), and between VMHvl-retro EGFP and Csap3 groups (i, j). h, k Frequency, duration proportion of attack, and latency to attack between the AI-retro EGFP and Csap3 groups (h), and between the VMHvl-retro EGFP and Csap3 groups (k). In f–h, AI-retro EGFP versus AI-retro Casp3, allogrooming time proportion: p = 0.014; allogrooming frequency: p = 0.006; sniffing time proportion: p = 0.02; attack frequency: p = 0.196; attack time proportion: p = 0.533; latency to attack: p = 0.532. In i–k, VMHvl-retro EGFP versus VMHvl-retro Casp3, allogrooming time proportion: p = 0.278; allogrooming frequency: p = 0.181; sniffing time proportion: p = 0.278; attack frequency: p < 0.001; attack time proportion: p = 0.042; latency to attack: p = 0.033. n = 7 voles/group in f–k. ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05. Data was analyzed by two-tailed unpaired t-test (e) and paired t-test (f–k). Data are presented as the means +/− SEM. Statistical details are presented in Supplementary Data. 1 file. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

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