Fig. 5

Effect of tibolone, estrogen receptor antagonists, and flutamide on the phagocytosis of brain-derived cellular debris. Cy3 fluorescence intensity per cell in male (a) and female (b) astrocytes treated for 39 h with tibolone, tibolone and the ERα antagonists MPP, tibolone and the ERβ antagonist PHTPP, tibolone and the GPER antagonist G15, tibolone and the androgen receptor antagonist flutamide, the antagonists alone, or control medium. Cells were then incubated for 1 h with Cy3-conjugated brain-derived cellular debris. Data are presented as median ± ranges. Significant differences: ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01 versus the control group of the same sex, ^$$$p < 0.001, ^$$p < 0.01 versus the tibolone group of the same sex, ^###p < 0.001 versus the male group treated with tibolone. n.s., non-significant; Flut, flutamide