Fig. 4

Astrocyte activation after ethanol treatment in the brain of transgenic and wild-type mice. a Relative expression of Gfap and Vim in the brain of hHSPB1-overexpressing and wild-type mice 24 h after ethanol treatment. Relative expression was correlated with the wild-type control group (100%). n = 8 mice per group. b Astrocytes with different morphologies were visualized with GFAP immunostaining using the peroxidase method 1 week after EtOH treatment. Quantification of GFAP immunoreactive areas: results are given in percentage of the immunopositive areas compared to the outlined brain areas (relative area). n = 3 mice per group, 3 sections per animal. c Morphological changes of astrocytes 1 week after EtOH treatment on sagittal brain sections of hHSPB1-overexpressing and wild-type mice. Scale bar: 500 μm. Values are presented as mean ± SEM. Asterisk indicates wild-type EtOH group vs wild-type control group; plus sign indicates transgenic EtOH group vs transgenic control group; hashtag indicates transgenic EtOH group vs wild-type EtOH group. Statistical analysis: 2-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc test. *^/+p < 0.05; **^/##/++p < 0.01; ***^/###/+++p < 0.001. Hip hippocampus, RSCx retrosplenial cortex, OCx occipital cortex, PCx parietal cortex, FCx frontal cortex, Th thalamus, Str striatum