Fig. 10: Silencing microglial TGF-β signaling results in altered behavior in cognitive and affective functional tests. | Nature Communications

Fig. 10: Silencing microglial TGF-β signaling results in altered behavior in cognitive and affective functional tests.

From: Inhibition of TGF-β signaling in microglia stimulates hippocampal adult neurogenesis and reduces anxiety-like behavior in adult mice

Fig. 10: Silencing microglial TGF-β signaling results in altered behavior in cognitive and affective functional tests.

A Mouse model used to induce Alk5 KO in microglia and the experimental timeline depicts behavioral measurements at early and late time points after tamoxifen. B–G Behavioral measurements in Cx3cr1CreER-Alk5WT/WT or Cx3Cr1CreER-Alk5fl/fl mice showing elevated plus maze (B, C) at 7 weeks or elevated zero maze (D, E) at 12 weeks after TAM with percentage of distance in open arms, or percentage of time spent in open arms.F, G Barnes maze test at 7 weeks or 12 weeks post TAM. H Accelerated rotarod learning test. B, C WT n = 17, iKO n = 12; (D, E) WT n = 10, iKO n = 9; F WT n = 17, iKO n = 13; G WT n = 8, iKO n = 6; H WT n = 8, iKO n = 8. (** p = 0.0022 B, * p = 0.0249 C, ns=not significant (D, E, G, H), ** p = 0.0079 F). I Mouse model (left) used to induce Tgfb1 KO in microglia and the experimental timeline depicts behavioral measurements at early or late time points after tamoxifen. J–O Behavioral measurements in Cx3cr1CreER-Tgfb1WT/WT or Cx3Cr1CreER- Tgfb1fl/fl mice showing elevated plus maze (J, K) at 6 weeks or elevated zero maze (L, M) at 12 weeks after TAM with percentage of distance in open arms, or percentage of time spent in open arms. N, O Barnes maze test at 6 weeks or 12 weeks post TAM. P Accelerated rotarod learning test36. J, K WT n = 16, iKO n = 15; (L, M) WT n = 16, iKO n = 10; N WT n = 17, iKO n = 13; O WT n = 8, iKO n = 6; P WT n = 19, iKO n = 13. (* p = 0.0195 J, * p = 0.0111 K, *** p = 0.0004 L, **** p = 0.0002 M, * p = 0.0408 N, * p = 0.0428 O, ns=not significant P). Two-sided Student’s t-test analysis was used for statistical analysis in panels B–G, J–O and Two-way ANOVA RM, two-sided, with Tukey’s post hoc pairwise analysis was used for statistical analysis in panels (H,P). Mean ± SE. The sex of each animal is represented by open circles (females) and open triangles (males). Panel A and I were created Created in BioRender. Luo, A. (2026) https://BioRender.com/6r2py3z. Source data are provided as a source data file.

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