Fig. 4

Pentoxifylline prevented mitochondrial DNA damage in the NTS induced by LPS peritoneal infusion. a The mitochondrial 8-OHdG levels detected by ELISA and representative gels (inset) and densitometric analysis from Western blot showed the mitochondrial protein expression of b γ-H2AX, c UNG, and d APE1 in the NTS after peritoneal infusion with saline or LPS for 7 days with additional intracisternal (IC) infusion of saline or PTX. Prohibitin was used as the internal control for mitochondrial protein expression. e A representative schematic diagram and microscopy images of 8-OHdG (green), NeuN (red), and DAPI (blue) triple immunofluorescent staining in the NTS. Values are the mean ± SEM of 6 to 8 animals in each group. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 versus the control (C) group and ^##P < 0.01 versus the LPS group according to post hoc Tukey’s multiple range analysis. AP, area postrema; APE1, the apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease; C, control, infused with saline; cc, central canal; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; L, LPS, lipopolysaccharides; PTX, pentoxifylline; sol, solitary tract; UNG, uracil-DNA glycosylase. Scale bar, 20 μm