Fig. 3

Iron overload contributed to depression-like behaviour and synaptic plasticity impairment in mice. A Body weight changes in mice during the CUMS procedure in the control diet vehicle, control diet CUMS, high-iron diet vehicle and high-iron diet CUMS groups (n = 8–9/group). B SPT in each group (n = 8–9/group). C–E OFT in each group (n = 8–9/group). F and G TST and FST in each group (all Groups n = 8–9/group). H The level of Fe in the serum of mice (n = 5/group). I and J Ferrous iron and total iron in the hippocampus of the different indicated groups (n = 6/group). K–L Western blot analysis of the relative density ratios of TfR, BDNF, PSD95 and SNAP25 expression in the hippocampus in each group. GAPDH served as a loading control. The density of each protein was measured using ImageJ software (n = 6/group). O Immunohistochemical staining of SYN (sepia) in the hippocampus (n = 5/group; scale bars, 100 μm). All images of immunostaining were analysed with ImageJ software. Bars represent the mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis was performed by two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s post hoc test. * Represents comparison with the control (vehicle) group, # represents comparison with the model group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, and ****P < 0.0001