Figure 10

Differential patterns of IL-1β immunoreactivity in brain after PQ (10 mg/kg b.w.) treatment. IL-1β immunolocalization was assessed in SN, FC and hippocampus (A, B and C respectively). Densitometric analysis of western blots for IL-1β (D) was performed to assess expression levels for IL-1β in SN, FC and hippocampus. (A): IL-1β immunoreactivity is dispersed in SN of PQ-treated animals (b) compared to controls (a). Immunoreactive deposits are found in a distinct population of small, rounded cells (putative microglia, black arrows) rather than nucleated neuronal cells, in SN of PQ-treated animals, but not in controls. (B): A diffuse pattern of IL-1β immunoreactivity appeared in FC of PQ-treated animal (d) with more intense immunoreaction compared to controls (c). (C): Both nucleated and non-nucleated areas of hippocampus (dentate gyrus, CA3 and CA1; b, d, f respectively) of PQ-treated brain show more intense IL-1β immunoreactivity compared to controls (a, c and e respectively). Nucleated areas of hippocampus of PQ-treated mice showed dense immunoreaction compared to non-nucleated areas (b, d and f). (D): Densitometric analysis of western blots indicates that expression levels of IL-1β increased significantly both in FC and hippocampus without any change in SN of PQ-treated animals, compared to controls. β-Actin was used as a reference control in western blots. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 3). Asterisks (*) represent significant differences at a level of p < 0.05 (Student's t-test) for densitometric analses. Magnification of IHC images is 40× and the scale bars = 40µm.