Fig. 2

Expression of CXCL12 in the CNS of mice during progression of clinical EAE and following spontaneous recovery. a, b Immunostaining for MAC2 (green) in brain sections from the D3V and the quantification of activated macrophages/microglia (MAC2⁺) and infiltrating lymphocytes (CD3⁺) in brain tissue sections from naïve mice or mice at onset, peak, or following recovery (*p < 0.0001; CD3 representative immunostaining image not shown). c, d Immunostaining for CXCL12 (red) in brain sections from CC (central/caudal regions, denoted by dashed lines), and respective quantification of CXCL12 intensity (*p = 6.5 × 10⁻⁵, **p = 0.001). e, f Immunostaining for CXCL12 (red) in brain sections from the DG, and the respective quantification of CXCL12 intensity in brain sections from DG (*p = 0.004, **p = 0.039). g, h Immunostaining for MAC2 (red) in the DG and the respective quantification of activated macrophages/microglia (MAC2⁺) (*p = 0.0003, **p = 0.006). i, j Co-immunostaining for GFAP (green) and CXCL12 (red) in brain sections from the DG, i and the respective quantification of astrocytes (GFAP⁺) and astrocytes co-expressing CXCL12 (GFAP⁺ CXCL12⁺) in DG (*p ≤ 0.0002, **p ≤ 0.0001). Data in b and d are from nine consecutive sections from each mouse, n = 3 mice/group. Data in f, h, and j are from five consecutive sections from each mouse; n = 4 mice/group. Error bars represent mean ± SEM. All sections were counterstained with DAPI (blue) to visualize cell nuclei. Scale bars: a, c, e, g, and i 50 μm