Fig. 5

Activation of astrocytic STAT3 in SDH of remote segments was necessary for widespread pain. A, B Immunofluorescence staining of p-STAT3 in primary cultured astrocytes after incubation of sham’s CSF and CCI-ION’s CSF. t test, ****p < 0.0001, n = 9/group. Scale bar: 75 μm. C, D Immunofluorescence staining of p-STAT3 expression in CDH, TDH, and LDH of rats receiving sham rats’ CSF or CCI-ION rats’ CSF. t test, ****p < 0.0001, n = 10–12/group. Scale bar: 50 μm. E, F Immunofluorescence staining showed upregulated p-STAT3 expression in CDH, TDH, and LDH of CCI-ION rats. t test, ****p < 0.0001, n = 9/group. G Representative images of double immunofluorescence staining of p-STAT3 and NeuN, IBA1 or GFAP in dorsal horn of CCI-ION rats. Scale bar: 50 μm. H The workflow for intraspinal injection of STAT3-IN-3 or vehicle in CCI-ION rats. I The time course of mechanical withdrawal threshold of vibrissal pad for CCI-ION rats receiving injections of STAT3-IN-3 or vehicle. Two-way ANOVA, n = 8/group. J, K The paw thermal withdrawal latency and mechanical withdrawal threshold in CCI-ION rats receiving injections of STAT3-IN-3 or vehicle. Two-way ANOVA, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001, n = 8/group