Research Paper Volume 11, Issue 14 pp 4910—4922

Figure 1. Growth retardation and shortened lifespan of the mice with deletion of an autophagy-essential gene Atg7 in hematopoietic system. (A) Three genotypes for wild-type, heterozygote, and homozygote for Atg 7 deletion in hematopoietic system with representative images of the mice. The images were taken at age of 10 weeks. (B) PCR Genotyping analysis of the offsprings from Atg7^f/f mice crossing Vav-iCre mice to screen Atg7^f/f;Vav-iCre mice. The sequences for the primers used in PCR are given in the method section, and their PCR amplified bands representing specific genotypes were indicated in the agarose gel electrophoresis films. (C) Examination of Atg7 expression in wild-type and the Atg7-deleted mice. Upper panel, quantitative PCR analysis of Atg7 transcription normalized to Gapdh transcript in different organs; lower panel, western blotting analysis of autophagy-essential protein ATG7 and lipidation of LC3 in different organs. GAPDH used as a loading control. (D) Growth comparison between wild-type and Atg7-deleted mice. Wild-type mice progressively gain weight before age of 60 weeks (left panel), but Atg7-deleted mice cease weight gain at about age of 6 weeks (right panel). (E) Measurement of lifespan of wild-type and Atg7-deleted mice. (F) Immunohistological examination of heart, liver, lung and thymus from 10 weeks old wild-type and Atg7-deleted mice by HE staining.