Figure 6

Semi-quantitative flow-cytometry analysis of phagocytic and digestive activities of alternatively activated macrophages after MR16-1 treatment. (A, B) Representative flow-cytometry data at 3 days post-injury identified larger numbers of iNOS-positive and CD16/32-positive macrophages in the injured SC of the rat IgG control group, compared with a lower number of such macrophages with an increased arginase 1-positive and CD206-positive sub-population in the MR16-1-treated group. (C, D) The differences in the relative preponderance of iNOS-positive and arginase 1-positive macrophages between the control and treatment group were significant from 1 to 7 days post-injury, whereas (E, F) the differences in CD16/32-positive and CD206-positive macrophages were significant from 3 days post-injury. (G, H) Microglia of both groups showed no major change in Mac-2 and Mac-3 expression; however, the number of Mac-2 and Mac-3-positive cells within the population of arginase 1-positive macrophages was significantly larger in the MR16-1-treated group than in the rat IgG control group. (I) There was no major difference in Mac-2 and Mac-3 expression in microglia, whereas (J) arginase 1-positive macrophages of the MR16-1-treated group showed enhanced expression of both antigens from 3 to 7 days post-injury. (C-F, I, J) Data are expressed as mean ± SD; n = 5 for each group;(C, D, E, F) paired t-test; (I, J) ANOVA. *P <0.05, **P <0.01