Figure 5

Effects of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) on astroglial proliferation and scar formation in in vitro scratch-wound model. (A) Astroglial proliferation indices in astrocyte cell cultures after mechanical scratch injury as shown by quantitative morphometry of Ki-67⁺ astroglial cell ratios at different time points post-lesion. Untreated control cultures had significantly increased rates of proliferating astrocytes from 12 hours post-lesion compared with baseline (0 hours). Continuous treatment with MMF 1 μg/ml potently attenuated astrocytic proliferation at 24 and 48 hours post- scratching compared with matched control cultures (*P < 0.05). (B) Quantitative measurements of scratch-gap widths as measured by image analysis, normalized on the mean gap width of control cultures at 0 hours. Untreated control cultures had constant migration of astrocytes towards the scratch-induced gap over time, leading to gap closure at 48 hours post-lesion. MMF treatment inhibited reactive astrogliosis. No significant changes were found in gap widths compared with controls at 0 hours (*P < 0.05)