Figure 5 | Laboratory Investigation

Figure 5

From: Post-exposure targeting of specific epitopes on ricin toxin abrogates toxin-induced hypoglycemia, hepatic injury, and lethality in a mouse model

Figure 5

Hepatic glycogen and hypoglycemia following ricin challenge (40 μg/kg) in the C57BL/6 mouse. (a) Time course for the presence of peri-portal glycogen-containing hepatocytes, displayed as the number per high power field, detected as periodic acid Schiff-positive (PAS+) cells. (b) PAS staining of peri-portal hepatic parenchyma at 0 and 8 h (left and right panels, respectively) after ricin exposure. Arrows, individual PAS+ hepatocytes. (c) Number of PAS+ cells per HPF in the centro-lobular liver from 0 to 48 h following ricin. (d) Examples of PAS+ hepatocytes at 0 and 8 h (left and right panels, respectively) following toxin. For a and c, results are representative of two independent studies, each with 2 mice per time point (total of 4 mice per time point, or 32 mice in total). Complete disappearance of glycogen took approximately 12 h in repeat studies. PAS+ cell number at 8–48 h was significantly different from that at 0 h (P<0.001). (e) Blood glucose in mice following ricin challenge, as determined by glucometer on tail vein blood. (f) Comparison of blood glucose levels in saline (control)- and ricin-challenged mice at selected times before and after ricin challenge. *P<0.02, comparing ricin-treated vs vehicle-treated mice at the indicated time points (14, 36, and 48 h). C, Blood glucose before challenge with ricin or vehicle. Magnification: (b, d) × 400.

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