FIGURE 4.

Male, but not female, Tg26 mice show reduced hippocampal BDNF mRNA and protein levels. (a) qRT‐PCR analysis of hippocampal BDNF mRNA in male WT and Tg26 mice (n = 7 per group) and (b) ELISA analysis of hippocampal BDNF protein in male WT and Tg26 mice (n = 7 for WT, n = 5 for Tg26). A significant reduction in hippocampal BDNF mRNA and protein was observed in male Tg26 mice. *P < 0.05 as compared to WT, unpaired Student'st‐test. (c) qRT‐PCR analysis of BDNF mRNA in amygdala showing similar expression between male WT and Tg26 mice (n = 8 per group). (d–f) qRT‐PCR analysis of hippocampal Ngf, Ntf‐3 and Ntf‐4/5 mRNA, respectively, showing similar expression between male WT and Tg26 mice (n = 6 per group). Rps18 served as housekeeping gene. (g) Representative western blots and densitometric analysis of TrkB and p75‐NTR proteins showing similar levels of full length (145 kDa) and truncated (95 kDa) forms of the TrkB receptor and p75‐NTR (75 kDa) receptor proteins in male Tg26 and WT mice (n = 4 per group). β‐actin (42 kDa) served as loading control. (h) qRT‐PCR analysis of hippocampal BDNF mRNA in female WT and Tg26 mice (n = 3 per group) and (i) ELISA analysis of hippocampal BDNF protein in female WT and Tg26 mice (n = 5 for WT, n = 3 for Tg26), showing similar levels between the two genotypes