Fig. 4: Expression of Tcf7l2 in Vglut2-positive neurons is necessary and sufficient for mouse USV production. | Molecular Psychiatry

Fig. 4: Expression of Tcf7l2 in Vglut2-positive neurons is necessary and sufficient for mouse USV production.

From: TCF7L2 acts as a molecular switch in midbrain to control mammal vocalization through its DNA binding ___domain but not transcription activation ___domain

Fig. 4

a The key features of pup USVs produced by the indicated Tcf7l2 cKO pups at P7. Nestin-, Oligo3-, Vglut2-, Esr1-, and ChAT-Cre were employed to conditionally remove Tcf7l2. b The expression level of TCF7L2 in the midbrains of exon11 fl/+;Vglut2-Cre/+ mice by western blot at P7. The exon11 fl/+ mice served as controls; GAPDH, loading control. c A Cre-dependent FLEx switch allele (fx) containing an inverted Tcf7l2 exon 9 and 10, which encode part of HMG ___domain, was flanked with inward-facing tandem Lox sites (LoxP:Lox2272). d Expression level of TCF7L2 in midbrain in the indicated genotypes at P7. In the absence of Cre recombinase, the expression level of TCF7L2 was significantly reduced in the fx/+ mice, which was restored by crossing to Vglut2-Cre. e Cre expression in Vglut2-positive neurons restores the pup USVs shown in the fx/+;Vglut2-Cre/+ mice at P7. In a, b, d, and e, data are presented as mean ± SD. N.S., no significant difference, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, t-test or ANOVA, SPSS. In a, Tcf7l2 exon11 fl/+ mice were employed as controls (n = 7–15); Tcf7l2 exon11 fl/+;Nestin-Cre/+ (n = 12); Tcf7l2 exon11 fl/+;Oligo3-Cre/+ (n = 8); Tcf7l2 exon11 fl/+;Vglut2-Cre/+ (n = 13); Tcf7l2 exon11 fl/+; Esr1-Cre/+ (n = 7); Tcf7l2 exon11 fl/+;ChAT-Cre/+ (n = 9). In b and d, n = 3. In e, +/+ (n = 12); Tcf7l2 fx/+ (n = 12); Tcf7l2 fx/+;Vglut2-Cre/+ (n = 9).

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