Fig. 5. Acute LPS challenge alters the calcium transients of NAc cells in Shank3^+/− mice during sociability test.

a Experimental design. Adult Shank3^+/+ and Shank3^+/− mice were unilaterally injected in the NAc with an AAV-hSyn-chl-jGCaMP7s virus and subsequently an optic fiber was implanted above the ROI. These animals were then tested in the 3- chamber task. a′ Representative image of injection site and optic fiber implantation (scale bar: 500 µm). b Example of recorded ΔF/F during the three-chamber task. The entry in proximity of the stimuli are indicated with bold lines (entry in the juvenile proximity in blue and orange for the object). The time passed in proximity of the stimuli is indicated below the traces. b′ Schema reporting when the experimental animal is entering in proximity to the juvenile stimulus. c, e, h, and j Heatmaps reporting the PETH of normalized (z-score) ΔF/F recorded in the NAc and centered on the entry in proximity of the stimuli (time = 0). d, f, i, and k Left: PETH of normalized (z-score) ΔF/F recorded in the NAc and centered on the entry in proximity of the stimuli (time = 0). Right: Comparison of the juvenile (Jv, in blue) and object (O, in orange) mean z-scores obtained on averaging the normalized ΔF/F 5 s after the entry in proximity of the stimuli (paired-samples t-tests for object- vs. social: d t₍₅₎ = 8.767, p < 0.001; i t₍₄₎ = 5.301, p = 0.006. Wilcoxon test for object- vs. social: f W = −39.00, p = 0.019; k W = −16.00, p = 0.219). g Experimental design. After a pause of 7 days, the mice that performed the experiments described in (a) were intraperitoneally injected with LPS and 24 h later were subjected to a second three chambers test. Abbreviations: OF optic fiber, Jv juvenile, O object. Error bars report SEM.