Figure 5.

Degeneration of neurites from parvalbuminergic interneurons in R6/2 striatum is prevented by LM22A-4. A, Reconstructed drawings from Neurolucida tracings of PV-immunostained interneurons in striatum. Scale bar, 10 μm. B, Quantitative analyses showed that the decrease in area occupied by PV-immunostained neurons and neurites seen in vehicle (Veh)-treated R6/2 mice (*p ≤ 0.05 vs WT Veh) was prevented with LM22A-4 (LM-4) treatment (⁺p ≤ 0.05 vs R6/2 Veh; n = 9/group). The area occupied by the immunostained cells and processes was expressed as a percentage of the total area analyzed and normalized by the WT Veh group. C, R6/2 mice given Veh had a higher percentage of soma that lacked PV-stained neurites than WT mice (*p ≤ 0.05) and LM-4 prevented this deficit (⁺p ≤ 0.05 vs R6/2 Veh). D, E, PV-stained neurites of R6/2 vehicle mice also had reduced volumes on branch orders 1–4 (*p ≤ 0.05 vs WT Veh) and were shorter on branch orders 3–4, although this difference did not reach statistical significance. LM-4 increased the volume and length of the PV-stained neurites (⁺p ≤ 0.05 vs R6/2 Veh). Results are expressed as mean ± SEM. Statistical significance was determined by ANOVA with Newman–Keuls post hoc testing.