Fig. 8

The effects of PTZ-kindling in GPR39 KO or WT mice and chronic treatment with TC-G 1008 (10 mg/kg) on zinc levels in serum and hippocampus. a The PTZ kindling in GPR39 KO or WT (C57BL/6/Tar × CBA/Tar) mice consisted of 14 injections of PTZ (25 mg/kg). The biochemical analyses were performed 24 h after the last PTZ injection. b Total zinc (protein bound and [Zn²⁺]_I) was measured in serum by ICP-OES. Data are expressed as means ± SEM. n = 8 WT VEH, n = 6 WT TC-G 1008, n = 7 KO VEH, n = 7 KO TC-G 1008. c Total zinc was analyzed semi-quantitatively in coronal hippocampal sections by LA-ICP-MS. Data are expressed as means ± SEM of counts per second (CPS). n = 4 in each group. d The protein expression level of the putative [Zn²⁺]_I sensor, metal regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF1), was analyzed in the hippocampus. The results (means ± SEM) are presented as the MTF1/β-actin ratio. n = 7 in each group. e Representative blots of MTF1. The observed band (~ 130 kDa). f–h [Zn²⁺]_I was examined in coronal hippocampal sections by a cell-membrane permeable probe, Zinpyr-1 (ZP-1). The mean ZP-1 grey values ratio between mouse sections in the CA3, CA1, or dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus is shown. n = 6 WT VEH, n = 6 WT TC-G 1008, n = 5 KO VEH, n = 6 KO TC-G 1008. i A greyscale image of the hippocampal section after staining with ZP-1. p values were determined by two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test. *p < 0.05