The Combination of β-Asarone and Icariin Inhibits Amyloid-β and Reverses Cognitive Deficits by Promoting Mitophagy in Models of Alzheimer’s Disease

Figure 2

Mitochondrial dysfunction and defective mitophagy in APP/PS1 mouse hippocampus and Aβ1-42-induced PC12 cell model. (a, b) Representative set of electron microscopy images (scale bar 1 μm and magnification 23,000x). (c) Representative ΔΨm detected with JC-1 Kit, used IF (scale bar 100 μm and magnification 400x), and FCM (R1 : R2 represents the monomers to aggregates ratio). Compared with the PC12 group, the cell model displayed a significantly lower red/green ratio. (d) Representative intracellular Ca²⁺ intensity detected with Fluo-4 am, with IF (scale bar 100 μm and magnification 400x) and FCM. The concentration of cytoplasmic free calcium was markedly higher in the APP/PS1group. (e) Representative Western blotting bands using total protein extracts from the hippocampus and PC12 cells (MW: molecular weight). (f) Quantification of protein expression levels between control and AD groups. For APP/PS1 mouse, the level of PINK1, LC3 I/II, and Beclin-1 decreased while p62 increased. For PC12 cells, the level of PINK1, LC3 I/II, and Beclin-1 decreased while p62 increased. (b–f) All the center values represent means, and the error bars represent SD. Compared with the control group, and ; one-away ANOVA. At least three experiments were repeated independently with similar results. Full scans of all the blots are in the Supplementary Note (available here).

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