Figure 4 | Scientific Reports

Figure 4

From: Uric Acid Produces an Inflammatory Response through Activation of NF-κB in the Hypothalamus: Implications for the Pathogenesis of Metabolic Disorders

Figure 4

Fluorescence immunohistochemical analysis of the accumulation of astrocytes and microglia in the rat ARC induced by icv UA perfusion.

(A,B) Immunofluorescence detection of the astrocyte marker GFAP protein (A) and of the microglial marker Iba-1 (B) in coronal sections of the rat hypothalamus (4 μm) from rats treated with icv saline as a control or with UA (3000 ng/ml, 10 μl) for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days. The low-magnification image is × 400 original magnification, which was used for the quantification of ARC astrocyte and microglia numbers. The white box indicates the region presented in the magnification below, which shows the activated morphology of the cells. (C) The astrocyte marker Gfap was quantified by qRT-PCR in rats treated with icv saline or UA (3000 ng/ml, 10 μl) perfusion for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days (n = 6 rats per group). The mRNA level of Gfap was quantified relative to Gapdh housekeeping gene expression and is presented as a fold change relative to the saline control [fold of control]. (D,E) The mean number of ARC astrocytes (D) and microglia (E) in the rats with icv administration of saline or UA were quantified in the whole region using a low-magnification view (n = 6 rats per group). All displayed values are the mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001 versus normal saline control.

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