Fig. 4

Antenatal exposure to C. albicans caused microglia activation and subsequent myelin disturbances in the white matter. Significant increase (*p < 0.05) of the area fraction of IBA-1 (a–d) immunoreactivity (IR) was observed in all C. albicans-exposed animals compared to controls irrespective of fluconazole (F) treatment. Significant increase (*p < 0.05) of the area fraction of CD68 IR (e–h) was observed in animals of the 5-day C. albicans/fluconazole group. A decrease of MBP IR (i–l) was observed which did not reach significance (^# p < 0.1) in the 3-day C. albicans-exposed group compared to the controls irrespective of fluconazole treatment. Representative figures show that the area fraction of the IBA-1 IR is higher in the 3-day C. albicans group (c) and 5-day C. albicans-/fluconazole-treated group (d) compared to the control group (b). Morphological analysis showed a higher density of amoeboid microglia present in the white matter after C. albicans exposure (inserts). In these regions with microglia activation, myelin disturbances, and loss of myelin fibers were found in the 3-day C. albicans-exposed (g) and the 5-day C. albicans-/fluconazole-treated (h) group. Figures of the 3-day C. albicans-/fluconazole-treated group are not depicted here. Images taken at ×100 magnification (insert at ×400 magnification), scale bar = 500 μm