Figure 7. BDNF deficiency in the amygdala causes anxiety and associated metabolic changes.

(A) A GFP expression image showing AAV-Cre-GFP infection in the BLA and CeA. Scale bar, 200 μm.

(B) Probability of entering open arms in elevated plus maze tests. N=12-13 mice per group. *p<0.05 by Student’s t test.

(C) Time spent in the light chamber during light-dark box tests. N=12-13 mice per group. *p<0.05 by Student’s t test.

(D) Body weight increase of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox mice during 8 weeks of HFD feeding. N=12-13 mice per group. Two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s test: F(_1,168)=43.48, p<0.0001; *p<0.05 and **p<0.01 when comparisons were made at individual time points.

(E) Daily HFD intake of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox mice. N=12-13 mice per group. ns, no significance by Student’s t test.

(F) Oxygen consumption (VO₂) of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox mice during HFD feeding. N=7-8 mice per group; **p<0.01 by Student’s t test.

(G) Core body temperature of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox mice during HFD feeding. N=12-13 mice per group; *p<0.05 by Student’s t test.

(H) Time spent in light chamber during light-dark exploration tests after FG7142 treatment (5 mg/kg). N=10 male WT mice per group. **p<0.01 by Student’s t test.

(I) O₂ consumption of male C57BL6 WT mice during 1-h period before and 1h after vehicle or FG7142 treatment. N=8 mice per group. ns, no significance; **p<0.01 by Student’s t test.

(J) A representative image showing AAV-BDNF infection in the BLA and surround area. BLAv, ventral part of basolateral amygdala; LA, lateral amygdalar nucleus; EPd, endopiriform nucleus, dorsal part; EPv, endopiriform nucleus, ventral part; Pir, piriform area. Scale bar, 500 μm.

(K) Time spent in the central zone during the first 5 minutes of open field tests. N=7-16 mice per group; **p<0.01 by one-way ANOVA.

(L) Time spent in the light chamber during light-dark box tests. N=7-16 mice per group; **p<0.01 by one-way ANOVA.

(M) Weight gain of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox and Bdnf^lox/lox;Emx1^Cre/+ mice after 7 weeks of HFD. N=7-16 mice per group. ns, no significance; **p<0.01 by one-way ANOVA.

(N) Body composition of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox and Bdnf^lox/lox;Emx1^Cre/+ mice fed HFD for 4 weeks. N=7-16 mice per group. ns, no significance; **p<0.01 and ***p<0.001 by one-way ANOVA.

(O) Weekly HFD intake of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox and Bdnf^lox/lox;Emx1^Cre/+ mice. N=7-16 mice per group. *p<0.05 by one-way ANOVA.

(P) Oxygen consumption (VO₂) of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox and Bdnf^lox/lox;Emx1^Cre/+ mice during HFD feeding. N=7-16 mice per group; **p<0.01 by two-way ANOVA.

(Q) Ambulatory activity at x axis (XAMB) of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox and Bdnf^lox/lox;Emx1^Cre/+ mice during HFD feeding. N=7-16 mice per group. ns, no significance; **p<0.01 by one-way ANOVA.

(R) Core body temperature of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox and Bdnf^lox/lox;Emx1^Cre/+ mice during HFD feeding. N=7-16 mice per group. ns, no significance; **p<0.01 by one-way ANOVA.

(S) Gene expression of thermogenic genes in iWAT of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox and Bdnf^lox/lox;Emx1^Cre/+ mic. N=7-16 mice per group. ns, no significance; *p<0.05 by one-way ANOVA.

(T) Western blotting analysis of UCP1 in iWAT of AAV-injected male Bdnf^lox/lox and Bdnf^lox/lox;Emx1^Cre/+ mice after 7 weeks of HFD. * marks nonspecific bands.

All data were presented as mean ± SEM.