Figure 2

Blood–brain barrier leakiness and Aβ deposition in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 female mice. Control female age-matched and APP/PS1 female mice were analyzed at ages of 6 months and 1 year old for amyloid plaque deposition by staining with antibodies against Aβ (red) and BBB permeability assessed by FITC-dextran leakage (green). Low-magnification representative images of coronal sections of the hippocampus for Aβ (A) and of FITC-dextran leak (B). The ROI is outlined with a white box and subsequent images are given at higher magnification of tissue corresponding to the ROIs for controls and transgenic mice. Nuclei were counterstained using DAPI. Experiments were repeated at least three times with similar results. Increased BBB leak was observed in the 1 year old APP/PS1 female mice. Scale bars, 200 μm and 50 μm respectively. (C) Quantification of FITC-dextran leakage in the hippocampus of the above groups. Data are represented as means and SD for three biological replicates and analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. ****p = 0.0001, ns non-significant. (D) Correlation of Aβ deposition and FITC-dextran leakage from 6 months and 1 year old APP/PS1 female mice. Increased FITC-dextran leak was correlated with age-dependent Aβ accumulation. Correlation coefficients and p value are indicated. r Pearson’s coefficient, p significance.