Figure 2

4-MU decreases hyaluronan (HA) and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) synthesis in non-SCI animals. (A) Bar graph showing the total amount of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) extracted from frozen spinal cords after 4-MU or placebo feeding, and wash-out period. Values are plotted as mean ± SEM; * p < 0.05, by one-way ANOVA, Dunnett's post-hoc test. (n = 4 animals per group). (B) Quantification of (C). Bar graph shows the mean intensity per area of grey matter together with the individual data points. Intensity was calculated using the HistoQuest software from TissueGnostics. Values are plotted as mean ± SEM; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 by two-way ANOVA, Dunnett's post-hoc test. (n = 3 animals per group, 2 images per animal). (C) Representative fluorescent images showing different hyaluronan binding protein positive (HABP +) signal intensity in gray matter (Th8) in placebo, 4-MU treated and wash-out group after 8 weeks of feeding and after 2 months of wash-out period. Scale bar 100 µm. (D) Bar graph shows fold changes of the expression of hyaluronan synthase (HAS) 1, 2, 3 genes (as 2^-ΔΔCt), normalised to the placebo treated animals without rehabilitation. 2^-ΔΔCt values were determined by qRT-PCR. Values are plotted as mean ± SEM; two-way ANOVA, Tukey post-hoc test in all 4 groups. (n = 4 animals per group).