Figure 1

Histological evaluation and locomotor function after anti-interleukin (IL)-6-receptor (MR16-1) treatment. (A) Compared with the rat IgG control group, axial sections at the epicenter of the injury site obtained at 42 days post-injury and stained with luxol fast blue (LFB) showed a remarkable reduction in the area of demyelination in (B) the MR16-1-treated group. (C) Quantification of LFB-positive spared myelin areas in the ventrolateral funiculus at the lesion site showed a significant difference between the two groups at 42 days, but not at 14 days post-injury. Representative images of injury epicenter mid-sagittal sections at 42 days after spinal cord injury in (D, I) the rat IgG control group and (F, K) MR16-1-treated group: in the high-magnification photomicrographs of the respective boxed area, a greater abundance of neurofilament heavy 200 kDa-positive and growth-associated protein nerve fibers were seen in (G, L) the MR16-1-treated group compared (E, J) with the rat IgG control group. (H, M) Note the significant differences in the GAP-43-positive and NF-H positive areas at 42 days after injury between the two groups. (N) Analysis of the locomotor Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) score after SCI. A significant improvement in hind-limb motor function was seen in the MR16-1-treated group compared with the rat IgG control group from 7 days after injury. Scale bar (A, B) 200 μm, (D, F, I, K) 500 μm, (E, G, J, L) 50 μm. (D-G) GAP-43 conjugated to Alexa fluor 568 (red); (I-J) NF-H conjugated to Alexa fluor 568 (red). Data are expressed as mean ± SD. (C, H, M) n = 3 for each group; (N) n = 5 for each group. (C, H, M) paired t-test; (N) ANOVA test. *P <0.05, **P <0.01