Fig. 1

Systemic paclitaxel activates spinal astrocytes leading to mechanical allodynia. a Immunofluorescence showing GFAP expression in spinal cord sections of male mice 6 h after a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a vehicle control or paclitaxel in male mice. Dotted squares delineate quantification and magnified areas. Scale bar = 200 μm. b Quantification of immunofluorescence intensity of GFAP in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, as delineated in a (*P < 0.05 compared to vehicle, t test, n = 5 per group). c, d Effect of intrathecal (i.t.) administration of the astrocytic inhibitor L-α-AA on mechanical allodynia induced by i.p. injection of paclitaxel in both male (c) and female (d) mice (*P < 0.05 compared to vehicle, ANOVA, n = 5 per group). BL baseline