Fig. 3

MMF treatment significantly reduces retinal Müller cell gliosis associated with I/R injury at day 7. In control eyes, GFAP immunolabeling was mainly present on the ILM (asterisk) (a). In wild-type I/R eyes treated with vehicle, the immunolabeling was significantly (p < 0.001) increased (b) when compared with control eyes and extended almost throughout the entire retina to the ONL in the Müller cell processes (a). With MMF injection, the immunolabeling was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced (b) and mainly extended to the OPL and only a small amount of GFAP immunolabeling was observed in the ONL (a). In Nrf2 KO mice, both vehicle- and MMF-treatment showed extensive GFAP immunofluorescence throughout all retina layers to the ONL (a). I/R-induced Muller cell gliosis was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in Nrf2 KO mice when compared with wild-type mice (b). n = 4-7 mice/group. ILM inner limiting membrane, GCL ganglion cell layer, IPL inner plexiform layer, INL inner nuclear layer, OPL outer plexiform layer, ONL outer nuclear layer