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Fig. 5 | Molecular Neurodegeneration

Fig. 5

From: AMPK hyperactivation promotes dendrite retraction, synaptic loss, and neuronal dysfunction in glaucoma

Fig. 5

AMPK attenuation promotes RGC functional recovery and survival. A-C Representative positive scotopic threshold response (pSTR) recordings prior to induction of ocular hypertension (pre-OHT, yellow trace) or after injury and treatment with siCTL (grey trace) or siAMPK (red trace). Pre- and post-OHT recordings are normalized relative to the contralateral, non-injured eye (black traces). D Quantitative analysis of the pSTR amplitude demonstrates RGC function rescue in siAMPK-treated eyes relative to controls at 3 weeks after OHT induction (ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison post-hoc test, * = p<0.05, N = 8–18 mice/group). E The tracer cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) conjugated to Alexa Fluor 488 is injected intravitreally and its accumulation in the contralateral superior colliculus is quantified as a readout of active anterograde axonal transport. F-H Unbiased stereological rostral-to-caudal sampling of the superior colliculi demonstrates a substantial reduction of the CTB-labeled target area in siCTL-treated mice relative to sham controls. In contrast, siAMPK-treated animals display an increase in brain CTB accumulation. I Quantification of the total CTB-positive area in the superior colliculus confirms a marked increase in anterograde axonal transport in siAMPK-treated mice compared to siCTL (ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison post-hoc test, * = p<0.05, N = 5–9 mice/group). J-M Brn3a-labeled flat-mounted retinas show higher RGC soma density at 3 weeks of OHT following siAMPK treatment relative to controls (ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison post-hoc test, * = p<0.05, N = 5–12 mice/group). N-Q siAMPK also promotes survival of RGC axons, quantified in optic nerve cross sections, compared to retinas treated with siCTL (ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison post-hoc test, * = p<0.05, N = 5–6 mice/group). Values are expressed as the mean ± S.E.M

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