Skip to main content
. 2016 Jul 4;7:12082. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12082

Figure 2. Neuritic plaque is required for the pathological conversion of tau.

Figure 2

(a) Diagram depicting the expression construct of four-repeat domain of tau (TauRD). The top diagram represents the longest isoform of the human tau40 (441 residues). The bottom diagram shows the construct containing four-repeat domain of tau with (TauRD). (b) Protein blot using 77G7 antibody that recognized the repeat domain of tau showed the presence of exogenous (∼16 kDa) TauRD and endogenous tau protein from brain lysates of tau transgenic (Tau4R) mice (n=5). The expression level of tau in Tau4R mice is similar to that of non-transgenic mice. (c) Immunohistochemical analysis of brains of 20-month-old nTG (n=5), TTA (n=4), Tau4R (n=6) and Tau4R-AP mice (n=5) using antiserum specific to NeuN to detect neurons; sagittal sections of brains (upper panels; scale bar, 1,000 μm) and hippocampi (lower panels; scale bar, 200 μm). Note forebrain atrophy and reduction of neurons in the cortical and hippocampal area of Tau4R-AP mice. (d) Immunohistochemical analysis using antiserum specific to Aβ (6E10), microglia (IBA1) and reactive astrocytes (GFAP). Scale bar, 50 μm. Immunohistochemial analysis of brains of nTG (n=5), TTA (n=4), Tau4R (n=6) and Tau4R-AP mice (n=5) using antiserum specific to Aβ (6E10), microglial (IBA1) and reactive astrocytes (GFAP). Note increase of microglial and hypertrophic GFAP positive astrocytes in cortex of 20-month-old Tau4R-AP mice. Scale bar, 50 μm. (e) Neuronal cell count of dentate gyrus region from 18 months old TTA (n=5), AP (n=5), Tau4R (n=5), Tau4R-AP (n=5) mice using ImageJ analysis. (one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), **P=0.0002) (f) Neuronal cell count of CA1 regions from 20 months old TTA (n=4), AP (n=6), Tau4R (n=6), Tau4R-AP (n=5) mice using ImageJ analysis. (one-way ANOVA, *P=0.0134).