Fig. 3

The role of TLR4 in alleviating neuroinflammation of baicalin. Prophylactic treatment of TAK-242 or baicalin inhibited LPS-induced neuroinflammation as well as depressive-like behaviors. a Pretreatment of TAK-242 or baicalin ameliorated LPS-induced depressive behaviors, which were successively measured by SPT, OPT, TST, and SFT (n = 12 in each test). b Representative pathological images of Nissl staining and immunohistochemistry staining of TLR4 in the hippocampal CA1 subregion (n = 3 in each test; scale bar 20 μm). c The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the hippocampus were measured by ELISA kits (n = 8). d The levels of TLR4 and p-FoxO1 in the hippocampus were measured by western blotting and were quantified and normalized with their respective β-actin or total FoxO1 levels (n = 4). Data were normalized to the control and presented as means ± SEM. ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.005 vs. control; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.005 vs. LPS. TAK, TAK-242