Figure 4.

Representative fluorescence images of the mouse hippocampus stained with activated astrocytes (A,B), microglia (D,E), and OCTN1 (G-J) using anti-GFAP, anti-IBA1 protein markers, and anti-OCTN1/2 antibodies, respectively in WT (A,D,G,H) versus 5XFAD (B,E,I,J). The coronal sections were stained with DAPI (nuclear staining, blue, 465 nm channel) to provide anatomical laminar landmarks. The GFAP expression (green, 517nm channel, scale bar 100μm) is prominent across the hippocampal regions of 5XFAD compared to those from WT counterparts. The GFAP signal was quantified, and the signal distribution was scored on an ordinal scale after thresholding using the Otsu method and presented in the bar graph (C). An asterisk indicates significant differences between WT vs. 5XFAD (*p<0.05). Meanwhile, IBA1 immunohistochemistry (red, 696 nm channel, scale bar 200μm) reveals a significant increase in microglial in 5XFAD vs. WT mice (F) (**p<0.01). The OCTN1 immunohistochemistry (green, 517 nm channel) was observed with a magnification of 20x (G,I; scale bar 50μm) and 63x oil immersion (H,J; scale bar 10μm).