Figure 5.

Microglia mediated synaptic engulfment is involved in the CMS-induced depression-like behaviors in the mPFC. (A) Schematic diagrams of the Minocycline (Mino) and CMS treatment and behavioral tests. (B) Sucrose preference was measured in CMS rats after Mino treatment (n = 8 rats per group). (C-D) The FST was evaluated in CMS rats after Mino treatment (n = 8 rats per group). The immobility time spent in the FST (C). The climbing time spent in the FST (D). (E-F) The OFT was performed in CMS rats after Mino treatment (n = 8 per group). The total distance traveled in the open field area (E). Time spent in the center (F). (G) Representative animal traces of rat movement in the OFT. (H) Representative images and 3D reconstruction rendering of Iba-1⁺ microglia (cyan) containing PSD95⁺ puncta (green) and CD68 (red). Scale bar = 5μm. Zoom in images (bar = 2 μm). White arrowheads showed the co-localization between PSD95 and CD68 in microglia. (I) Quantification of the co-localization of PSD95 and CD68 in Iba-1⁺ microglia after the treatment of Mino (n = 5 rats per group). (J) The expression of PSD95 in the mPFC of different group rats was detected by western blot. The GAPDH was served as the internal control. (K) Relative quantitative analysis of PSD95 protein level in the mPFC (n = 5 rats per group). Data are shown as mean ± SEM. One-way ANOVA with the Tukey's post hoc test (B-F, I, K). ^∗p < 0.05, ^∗∗p < 0.01, ^∗∗∗p < 0.001, ^∗∗∗∗p < 0.0001.