Fig. 5 | Cell Death & Differentiation

Fig. 5

From: Innate immune adaptor TRIF deficiency accelerates disease progression of ALS mice with accumulation of aberrantly activated astrocytes

Fig. 5

Accumulation of Mac2-expressing aberrant astrocytes in the lumbar spinal cord of symptomatic SOD1G93A/TRIF−/− mice. a, b Activated microglia and astrocytes in the lumbar spinal cord of SOD1G93A (G93A) (a) and SOD1G93A/TRIF−/− (G93A/TKO) (b) mice at disease onset (3.5 months of age), 4 months of age, and disease end stage were visualized by immunostaining with antibodies for Mac2 and GFAP. Activated astrocytes expressing Mac2 (arrowheads) appeared earlier in SOD1G93A/TRIF−/− mice than SOD1G93A mice. Scale bar, 100 μm. c An increase in the number of Mac2-positive activated astrocytes was observed in SOD1G93A/TRIF−/− mice (G93A/TKO) compared to SOD1G93A mice (G93A) and SOD1G93A/MyD88−/− mice (G93A/MKO) at disease end stage. Mac2+ astrocytes were counted per unit area of ventral horn in each spinal cord section (six sections per mouse) (G93A and G93A/TKO: n = 4 each, G93A/MKO: n = 3). Average number of Mac2+/GFAP+ astrocytes are plotted. Data are presented as mean ± SD and analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey–Kramer multiple comparison post hoc tests. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. d Representative three-dimensional images of astrocytes stained for S100β or GFAP (green), Mac2 (red), and DAPI (blue) in the lumbar spinal cord of SOD1G93A (G93A) and SOD1G93A/TRIF−/− (G93A/TKO) mice at disease end stage. Scale bar, 20 μm. e Images of the lumbar spinal cord of SOD1G93A (G93A) and SOD1G93A/TRIF−/− (G93A/TKO) mice at disease end stage stained for p62, GFAP, and CD68 along with the merged images. Arrowheads indicate the cells immunopositive for p62 and GFAP that do not express CD68. Scale bar, 50 μm. f A representative immune-electron microscopy image of the spinal cord astrocytes in SOD1G93A mice at disease end stage. Large (green arrows) and small (blue arrows) gold particles label GFAP and p62, respectively. Scale bar, 500 nm. g Triple-staining of lumbar spinal cord of SOD1G93A/TRIF−/− (G93A/TKO) mouse at early disease stage using antibodies for p62, GFAP, and Mac2. Arrowheads indicate p62-positive astrocytes expressing Mac2. Scale bar, 100 μm

Back to article page