Figure 3.
Sortilin deficiency increases plaque burden in the brain. A, Levels of Aβ40 were determined by ELISA in extracts of hippocampus (Hip) and cortex (Ctx) of 5xFAD mice either wild-type (5xFAD; Sort1+/+) or homozygous for the Sort1 null allele (5xFAD; Sort1−/−) at 2 months of age (n = 5–6 per group). B, Thioflavin S staining of sagittal sections through the brain of three to four individual mice at 2 and 10 months of age. Deposition of plaques (arrowheads) in the subiculum is seen in 2-month-old 5xFAD mice lacking sortilin (5xFAD; Sort1−/−) but not in the age- and gender-matched controls (5xFAD; Sort1+/+). At 10 months of age, a massive plaque burden is seen in both genotypes. Scale bar, 150 μm. C, Quantification of plaque burden in individual mice of the indicated age and genotype based on thioflavin S staining as exemplified in B (n = 2–6 sections per animal). *p < 0.05.