Fig. 1
The immunomodulatory effect induced by oral NaHCO3 on immune markers is abolished in SD animals. Spleen denervation has an independent immunomodulatory effect. SD and SH rats were randomly assigned to drink H2O or NaHCO3, spleen was processed for immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. All values represent the percentage of live cells (an expanded gating for all cells can be seen in Additional file 1: Fig. S2a), with marker positivity listed below cell subtypes. The interaction was evaluated with a two-factor ANOVA (treatment; surgery). The interaction was considered present for p < 0.15 and pse > 0.04 and ANOVA was followed by a test of single effects (Table 1). Two-Factor ANOVA results: a. CD11bc + CD38 + TNFα + cells, interaction present, p = 0.137; b CD11bc + CD206 + cells, interaction present, p = 0.006**; c CD3 + CD4 + FoxP3 + cells, interaction present, p = 0.115; d M1-like/M2-like index, interaction present, p = 0.018*; e Log10 of the Treg/M1-like index, interaction present, *p = 0.023; f SSChigh/SSClow of CD11bc + FSChigh cells, interaction present, p = 0.070. The p and pse values of interest (2-factor ANOVA, and test of simple effects) are listed on each figure if respective group effects were found important (p < 0.05 and/or pse > 0.06). Percentages of M1-like and M2-like macrophages and granularity index are indicated in corresponding quadrants. g Representative gating for M2-like macrophages and granularity index in SH and SD rats, treated with H2O or NaHCO3. FMOs control for SH and SD for M2-like macrophages is shown. The colors light red and blue represent H2O and NaCHO3, respectively. At the left of the figure is the formula used to calculate macrophages and granularity index number and the y and x-axis labels. *Significant differences p < 0.05 or moderate SE (pse > 0.06); **p < 0.01 or large SE (pse > 0.14). Figure created with NovoExpress, and Prism GraphPad