Fig. 6

Phloretin reduces neuroinflammation in the EAE model. A Disease scores of EAE mice treated 6 days post immunization with vehicle or phloretin on a daily basis (prophylactic setting, 50 mg/kg ip, n = 5) B Disease scores of EAE mice treated with vehicle or phloretin on a daily basis after disease onset (disease score > 1) (therapeutic setup, 50 mg/kg ip, n = 5). C, D Quantitative PCR was used to determine the mRNA levels of the pro-inflammatory genes MHCII, CD86, NOS2, TNFα, IL6, Ccl4, Ccl5 and CXCL2 and the anti-inflammatory and neurotrophic genes IL-4, CNTF and IGF-1 in the spinal cord of phloretin-treated EAE animals (prophylactic setting). E, F Quantification and representative images of F4/80 staining on spinal cord tissue obtained from EAE animals treated with vehicle or phloretin in the prophylactic setting. G Quantitative PCR was used to determine the mRNA levels of genes related to the Nrf2 pathway (Nrf2, NQO1, GPX1) in the spinal cord of phloretin-treated EAE animals (prophylactic setting). Gene expression was corrected for the number of F4/80+ cells. Ctrl, control; phl, phloretin. Data are represented as mean ± s.e.m. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01