Fig. 5

Histology and immunohistochemistry analysis. H&E staining of lumbar spinal cord sections of EAE mice sacrificed at 14 and 28 days p.i. (a, d; left graph). The degree of inflammation was higher during the acute phase of the disease (14 days p.i.), while barely detected in mice at 28 days p.i. Magnification shown in the inset from a revealed foci of inflammation (indicated by asterisks in the panel). Demyelination followed the same trend than inflammation passing from 14 to 28 days p.i. (b, e; middle graph), as indicated by arrows. At 2 weeks p.i. Iba-1 positive microglia and macrophage cells were highly represented, while scarcely detected at 4 weeks p.i. (c, f; right graph). Inset from c and f shows details on different microglia morphology during the two disease phases. Images a, b, d, and e, ×2 original magnification; images c and f, ×20 original magnification; insets, ×60 original magnification. Iba-1 positive staining images at different magnification (×20 and ×40) obtained from the cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus, and brain stem representative of one EAE mice sacrificed at 14 days p.i.. Iba-1 positive staining is visible in all brain regions but is particularly evident in cerebellum, brainstem, and hippocampus (g)