Figure 4

Immunofluorescent staining for P2X3 (a,b), area occupied by P2X3-immunoreactivity (IR: c), intensity of P2X3-IR (d) and Western blot analysis for P2X3 protein level (e,f) in CCI-ION rats and sham rats. The area of immunostaining for P2X3, the intensity of P2X3-IR, and the P2X3 protein levels are increased significantly in the CCI-ION rats, compared to sham rats. Asterisks indicate significant difference between CCI-ION rats and sham rats (unpaired Student’s t-test; *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001). Scale bar in B = 50 μm. N = 3 animals per group in immunohistochemical analysis (a–d). N = 4 animals per group in Western blot analysis (e,f).