Fig. 2: Ldha deletion in the brain causes depressive-like behaviors and reduces neuronal excitability.
a Breeding strategy. b Representative Western blot images. c Quantitative analysis of data in (b). n = 3 mice per genotype. Student’s t-test, for LDHA, t(4) = 10.49, p = 0.0005; for LDHB, t(4) =  0.0144, p = 0.9892. d Similar bodyweight between Ldhaf/f and GFAP-Ldha–/– mice. n = 7 mice per genotype. Student’s t-test, t(12) = 0.2446, p = 0.8109. e, f Reduced L-lactate levels in the dmPFC of GFAP-Ldha–/– mice. n = 6 mice per genotype. Student’s t-test, t(10) = 2.435, p = 0.0351. g, h Increased immobility duration (g) and decreased sucrose preference (h) in GFAP-Ldha–/– mice. n = 12 mice per genotype. Student’s t-test, for FST, t(22) = 2.32, p = 0.03; for SPT, t(22) = 2.804, p = 0.0103. i, j Increased immobility duration (i) and decreased sucrose preference (j) in female GFAP-Ldha–/– mice. n = 9 and 8 female mice for Ldhaf/f and GFAP-Ldha–/– groups, respectively. Student’s t-test, for FST, t(15) = 2.729, p = 0.0155; for SPT, t(15) = 2.663, p = 0.0177. k Schematic diagram of recording in dmPFC region. PyN pyramidal neuron, Astro astrocyte. l Similar RMP between Ldhaf/f and GFAP-Ldha–/– pyramidal neurons. n = 13 and 12 neurons from 3 Ldhaf/f and 3 GFAP-Ldha–/– mice, respectively. Student’s t-test, t(23) = 0.8311, p = 0.4145. m Comparable input resistance between Ldhaf/f and GFAP-Ldha–/– pyramidal neurons. n = 13 and 12 neurons from 3 Ldhaf/f and 3 GFAP-Ldha–/– mice, respectively. Student’s t-test, t(23) =  0.9388, p = 0.3576. n Compromised neuronal excitability. Left, representative firing traces. Scale bars: 0.2 s, 20 mV. Right, quantitative data. n = 13 and 12 neurons from 3 Ldhaf/f and 3 GFAP-Ldha–/– mice, respectively. Two-way ANOVA, gene effect, F(1,161) = 25.09, p = 0.0000. Data were shown as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001; ns, no significant difference. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
