Figure 4.

Overexpression of GLT-1 improves mHtt-induced morphological changes of astrocytes. (A) Scheme of the proviral vector form of the lentiviral vector modified to carry the four copies of the miRNA target sequences and encoding GLT-1-HA. A lentiviral vector encoding GLT-1-HA or PBS–BSA was injected 3 weeks after Htt171-82Q + GFP in the same injection site and morphological analysis was performed 9 weeks after. (B and C) In the area immunopositive for HA (blue) and GFP, GLT-1 expression is significantly increased by 64% (n = 4, Student's paired t-test, *P = 0.013). (D) GFAP immunostaining decreases when GLT-1 is overexpressed in mHtt-transduced astrocytes. (E) Quantification of GFP-positive somal area in the HA-positive area 9 weeks after GLT-1 overexpression shows that the proportion of astrocytes with somal area >60 µm² decreases from 48 to 30% (Student's t-test, *P = 0.028). Scale bars 10 µm.