Fig. 5

The effects of SAM and NaHS administration on P2X7R expression at 1 day after ICH. a Quantitative analysis of P2X7R mRNA levels by qPCR in the sham, vehicle, SAM and NaHS groups at 1 day after ICH. The qPCR results revealed that ICH-induced P2X7R mRNA expression was evidently elevated in the periphery of the haemorrhage at 1 day after injury (p < 0.01 vs. sham). Both SAM treatment and NaHS treatment significantly reduced P2X7R mRNA expression in their respective treatment groups compared to the vehicle group (p < 0.05). The relative densities of each mRNA have been normalized against those of the vehicle group. b Representative bands and quantitative analysis of P2X7R expression in the perihaematomal tissues in the sham, vehicle, SAM and NaHS groups at 1 day after ICH. P2X7R protein expression was upregulated at 1 day after ICH induction (p < 0.01 vs. sham) and SAM and NaHS administration reversed this trend, as demonstrated by western blot analysis (p < 0.05 vs. vehicle). The relative densities of each protein have been normalized against those of the vehicle group. c Representative photographs of Iba1-positive cells co-labelled with P2X7R in the perihaematomal tissues of the sham, vehicle, SAM and NaHS groups at 1 day after ICH. Few P2X7R-positive microglia (Iba1-positive cells) were detected in the sham group. However, many more activated P2X7R-positive microglia were observed in the ICH-treated groups post-ICH. SAM and NaHS administration inhibited the increases in the numbers of P2X7R-positive microglia that occurred after ICH induction. N = 6 rats per group, scale bar = 40 μm. Data are the mean ± SEM. **p < 0.01 vs. sham, #p < 0.05 vs. vehicle. SAM S-adenosyl-l-methionine, GAPDH glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, ICH intracerebral haemorrhage, DAPI 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole