Fig. 3: Temporal changes implicate astrocyte cholesterol in driving expression of neuronal synaptic genes.

Comparison of the temporal pattern of expression of astrocyte cholesterol synthesis genes (n = 52) and the neuronal synaptic genes (n = 124). A plot of mean standardized expression (z-score logCPM) in the function of time up to day 8 (right) and an enlarged view of early time points (left). A two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to calculate the statistical difference between the mean z-score logCPM values of astrocytic cholesterol genes and synaptic genes in neurons. The upregulation of cholesterol genes appeared to initiate before the upregulation of neuronal synaptic genes, suggesting that the neuronal synaptic gene expression was driven by astrocyte supplied cholesterol.