Fig. 7

Nrf2 deficiency contributed to impaired synaptic plasticity in mice by iron accumulation. A Immunofluorescence staining of BDNF in the hippocampus. (n = 5/group; scale bars, 100 μm). B Immunohistochemical staining of GluR1 (sepia) in the hippocampus (n = 4/group; scale bars, 100 nm). The AOD of GluR1 staining was measured using ImageJ software (n = 4/group). C Immunofluorescence staining of PSD95 in the hippocampus (n = 4/group; scale bars, 50 μm). D Immunohistochemical staining of the microglial marker SYN (sepia) in the hippocampus (n = 3/group; scale bars, 100 μm). E Electron microscopy image of excitatory/asymmetric spines (arrows point to the synaptic cleft), myelin and mitochondria (n = 3/group; scale bars, 500 nm). F and G Neuroanatomical alterations were analysed in unperfused brains using Golgi staining. The spine density in hippocampal CA1 and DG assessments was analysed by the microscopic image analysis software Imaris (Imaris 8.1, BitPlane) (n = 3/group, 15–20 dendrites/mice, per dendritic segments of 10 μm, the scale bars in the dendritic images represent 10 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 group, # represents comparison with the model group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, and ****P < 0.0001