Fig. 6

Melatonin rescues social deficits and repetitive behavior in klf7^± mice. A Schematic diagram of detection of melatonin regulation effect on circadian rhythm in N2A cells. B qPCR analysis of Clock gene expression in N2A cells before and after melatonin incubation (n = 4). C qPCR analysis of Cry2 gene expression in N2A cells before and after melatonin incubation (n = 4). D qPCR analysis of Per3 gene expression in N2A cells before and after melatonin incubation (n = 4). E Histogram showing the amount of time spent in both the chamber with an interactive mouse and the empty cage by PBS-treated WT mice (n = 10), PBS-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10), melatonin-treated WT mice (n = 10) and melatonin-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10) in the three-chambers-social-preference experiment. Whereas PBS-treated klf7^−/− mice did not show an obvious social preference, melatonin-treated klf7^−/− mice showed improved social ability. F Histogram showing the amount of time spent with the interactive mouse or in the empty cage by PBS-treated WT mice (n = 10), PBS-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10), melatonin-treated WT mice (n = 10) and melatonin-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10) in the three-chambers-social-preference experiment. G Histogram showing the amount of time spent in the chambers with a strange mouse or a familiar mouse by PBS-treated WT mice (n = 10), PBS-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10), melatonin-treated WT mice (n = 10) and melatonin-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10) in the three-chamber-social-preference experiment. H Histogram showing the amount of time spent with a strange mouse or a familiar mouse by PBS-treated WT mice (n = 10), PBS-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10), melatonin-treated WT mice (n = 10) and melatonin-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10) in the three-chamber-social-preference experiment. I Histogram showing the proportion of PBS-treated WT mice (n = 10), PBS-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10), melatonin-treated WT mice (n = 10) and melatonin-treated klf7^−/− mice (n = 10) sticking to the original choice in 10 times Y maze spontaneous selection experiments. The data are presented as the mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis (P^* < 0.05, P^** < 0.01, P^*** < 0.001, P^**** < 0.0001 and ns: no significance) in (E–H) were performed by two-way ANOVA test. Statistical analysis (P^** < 0.01, P^**** < 0.0001 and ns: no significance) in (I) were performed by one-way ANOVA test