(A) Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression is downregulated in BLBP:iDTA sympathetic neurons. Insets also show atrophied neuronal cell bodies in mutant ganglia compared to controls. Scale bar: 100 μm for upper panels and 30 μm for insets. (B) Transcripts for Th and DBH, key enzymes in norepinephrine biosynthesis, are decreased in BLBP:iDTA SCG relative to control ganglia. Data are presented as means ± SEM from superior cervical ganglia (SCG) collected from n = 3–4 animals per genotype. ***p<0.001, ****p<0.0001, t-test with Bonferroni–Dunn’s correction. (C) Histogram shows a greater distribution of smaller soma sizes in mutant neurons compared to controls. Results are means ± SEM from n = 6–8 animals per genotype, **p<0.01, two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s correction. (D) Reduced soma sizes, represented as median values for soma areas (μm2), of sympathetic neurons from BLBP:iDTA mice compared to controls at 5 dpi. Values are means ± SEM from n = 8 control and 6 mutant animals, *p<0.05, t-test. (E) Immunostaining shows reduced p-S6 levels in BLBP:iDTA ganglia. Scale bar:100 μm. (F, G) Cell counts in Nissl-stained SCG tissue sections show reduced sympathetic neuron numbers in satellite glia-depleted mice 14 dpi. Results are means ± SEM from n = 4 control and 5 mutant animals. **p<0.01, t-test.
Figure 2—source data 1. Raw data for neuronal morphology and survival.