Figure 4
Acute inhibition of Aldh1a1 in nDA neurons reduces MOR1 expression in the Aldh1a1+/+ SPNs. (A) Cartoon illustrates the needle placement for stereotaxic injection of AAVs in the SNpc. Representative images show GFP (green), ALDH1A1 (purple), and TH (red) staining at DLS of 3-month-old Aldh1a1+/+ mice (n = 3) injected with AAVs co–expressing Aldh1a1 siRNA and GFP in one hemisphere. Open arrowhead points to the part of SNpc with severe reduction of ALDH1A1 staining. Scale bar: 500 µm. (B) Representative images show MOR1 (red) ALDH1A1 (purple), and GFP (green) staining at the striatum of the same animal in (A). Open arrowhead points to the DS with severe reduction of MOR staining. Solid arrowhead marks the rather normal MOR1 staining in the ventral striatum and adjacent regions. Scale bar: 1000 µm. (C) Scatter plot compares the signal intensities of MOR1 staining in the DS and VS of the ipsilateral and contralateral injection sites (n = 3 animals, 3 sequential coronal sections per animal). Data were presented as mean ± SEM. Two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s multiple comparisons test: DS, t12 = 5.035, ***p < 0.001; VS, t12 = 1.112, ns.
