Fig. 7
Pom protected neurons and attenuated the activation of microglial cells from glutamate-induced excitotoxicity 24 h after a challenge with glutamate. a, b Photomicrographs of the immunochemical staining for NeuN-positive (+) neurons and CD68+ microglial cells are provided. a Numbers of NeuN+ cells were significantly reduced by treatment with glutamate (100 mM) compared to control (Con) cultures. The addition of Pom (3–100 μM), 30 min after a challenge with glutamate led to a dose-dependent attenuation in NeuN+ cell loss. Arrows indicate NeuN+ neurons (brown color) in control, glutamate, and glutamate + Pom (3 or 100 μM) treated cultures. b Staining for CD68+ microglial cells in control cultures, cultures treated with glutamate (100 mM), cultures treated with glutamate (100 mM), and Pom (3 or 100 μM) are shown. A challenge with glutamate significantly elevated the numbers of CD68+ cells, treatment with Pom (3–100 μM) significantly attenuated the activation of microglial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Arrows indicate microglia (brown color). c, d Quantitative summaries of the effects of glutamate and Pom treated cultures on NeuN+ cells and activated microglial cells are provided. Mean ± S.E.M. (n = 8 in each group). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 compared with control cultures; # p < 0.05 compared with glutamate alone challenged cultures. Scale bar = 50 μm