Fig. 3

Beclin 1 cleavage, caspase 3 activation and neurodegeneration in a Kainic acid lesion mouse model. a, b Schematic of experimental design and time line of Kainic acid administration paradigm in mice. Adult mice (n = 10 mice per group/dose) were subcutaneously injected with Kainic acid (KA) or PBS and sacrificed five days later. One hemi brain was PFA-fixed for immunohistochemical analysis of neuronal and neuroinflammation markers, while the corresponding contralateral hippocampus was used for Western blot analysis. c Representative Western blot of Kainic acid and vehicle treated animals, probed with anti-C-terminal Beclin 1, anti-N-terminal Beclin 1, anti-cleaved-caspase 3 and anti-actin antibodies. Beclin 1 cleavage fragments are elevated in hippocampal lysates of Kainic acid treated animals. d, e Quantification of FL-beclin and C-beclin (n = 10 mice/group). Data expressed as mean + SEM; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; unpaired Student’s t-test. f Anti-correlation of FL-beclin and C-beclin. The amount of Beclin 1 fragments increase while FL-beclin 1 level decrease. g, h Correlation of FL-beclin 1 level (g) and C-Beclin 1 level (h) with the neuronal marker Calbindin. Beclin 1 was assessed by Western blot, Calbindin was measured by immunohistochemistry. Pearson’s correlation, *p < 0.05