Fig. 1.
Coexpression of Sim1Cre and AT1a flox/flox decreases the expression of angiotensin type 1a receptor (AT1a) mRNA in neurons within the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN). ×2.5 images of a coronal sections through the PVN (dotted outline) of an AT1a flox/flox mouse (A) and a PVN AT1a KO mouse (B). C: ×20 image showing AT1a mRNA (depicted as punctate red dots) frequently colocalize with HuC/D (cyan, marker for neurons) in the PVN (enclosed with white dashed line) of an AT1a flox/flox mouse. Inset, high magnification image of the region enclosed with yellow dashed line in C. D: ×20 image showing that AT1a mRNA is not detected in the PVN of a PVN AT1a KO mouse (cyan indicates HuC/D). Inset, high magnification image of the region enclosed with yellow dashed line in D. ×20 image showing that AT1a mRNA (depicted as punctate red dots) frequently colocalize with HuC/D (cyan) in the SFO (enclosed with white dashed line) of an AT1a flox/flox mouse (E) and a PVN AT1a KO mouse (F). G: compared with AT1a flox/flox mice, PVN AT1a KO mice had significantly decreased number of HuC/D-positive cells (neurons) that express AT1a mRNA. H: quantification of the density of AT1a mRNA signal in different brain nuclei of AT1a flox/flox mice and PVN AT1a KO mice. SFO, subfornical organ; BMA, basomedial amygdala; LH, lateral hypothalamus; CeA, central nucleus of amygdala. Bars represent means and SE. *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001.