Fig. 1

Skeletal muscles lacking HDAC4 shows compromised integrity following long-term denervation. a Hematoxylin and eosin staining of control (CTR) and HDAC4mKO TA muscles following 4 weeks of denervation. Scale bar = 50 μm. b Number of myofibers in CTR and HDAC4mKO contralateral and denervated muscles, 4 weeks after denervation. n = 3. Distribution analysis of fiber cross-sectional area of control (CTR) and HDAC4mKO mice, following 4 weeks of denervation. Data are shown as mean ± SEM; n = 3. Two-way ANOVA revealed an effect of genotype (F = 110.27; df 1; p = 0.001 for > 2500 μm² class), an effect of denervation (F = 16.93; df 1; p = 0.009 for 500–1000 μm² class; F = 390.97; df 1; p = 0.001 for 1500–2000 μm² class and F = 18.5; df 1; p = 0.007 for > 2500 μm² class) and an interaction (F = 104.35; df 1; p = 0.001 for 1000–1500 μm² class and F = 139.33; df 1; p = 0.001 for > 2500 μm² class); *p < 0.05 by Tukey’s HSD test. c Representative images for laminin (green) and IgG staining (red) of control (CTR) and HDAC4mKO TA muscles and relative quantification, following 1 week of denervation. Scale bar = 50 μm. n = 3; two-way ANOVA showed an interaction (F = 8.41; df 1; p = 0.017); *p < 0.05 by Tukey’s HSD test. d Immunostaining for CD68 (green) and laminin (red) of control and HDAC4mKO TA muscles and relative quantification, following 1 week of denervation. Scale bar = 25 μm. n = 3; two-way ANOVA showed an interaction (F = 9.77; df 1; p = 0.012); *p < 0.05 by Tukey’s HSD test. e Masson’s trichrome staining of control (CTR) and HDAC4mKO TA muscles and quantification of connective tissue, following 4 weeks of denervation. Scale bar = 25 μm. n = 3; two-way ANOVA showed an interaction (F = 39.42; df 1; p = 0.0004); *p < 0.05 by Tukey’s HSD test.