Fig. 8

siRNA-mediated tau deletion improves axonal transport. a, b Western blot analysis of retinal homogenates from transgenic eyes treated with short interference RNA (siRNA). Eyes injected with siRNA against tau (siTau) showed a significant reduction in tau protein (50-kDa, 55 k-Da, and 100 k-Da) while a control siRNA (siCtl) had no effect (siCtl: n = 3; siTau: n = 3; Student’s t-test, * = p < 0.05). c, d Unbiased rostrocaudal stereological sampling of the superior colliculus after tracer injection shows increased CTβ in the brains of 3xTg mice that received siTau relative to siCtl-treated control mice. e Quantitative analysis of the total CTβ volume shows a significant increase of anterograde transport (20%) in siTau-treated mice compared to siCtl-treated controls (siTau: n = 5, siCtl: n = 6, Student’s t-test, * = p < 0.05). Scale bars: C, D = 500 μm