Fig. 3

TLR7 is co-expressed in Iba1- and GFAP-expressing cells within the nodose and jugular ganglia. Guinea pig nodose and jugular ganglia were co-labeled with TLR7 in situ hybridization probes and antibodies for colorimetric and fluorescent immunohistochemistry. A TLR7 RNA (pink) colocalized with cells expressing the macrophage marker Iba1 (brown). Blue = hematoxylin or DAPI nuclear stain. Representative images are shown, N = 4. N = neurons (selected neurons are labeled in the images). B TLR7 was not expressed in the neurons labeled with the pan-neuronal marker PGP9.5 (gray, left panels), but was expressed in GFAP-positive satellite glial cells (brown, right panels). C TLR7 in situ probes detected TLR7 (pink, arrows) in small cells from dissociated nodose and jugular ganglia. N = neurons. D Cultured neurons and support cells from dissociated ganglia were loaded with the nitric oxide detecting fluorophore and treated with the TLR7 agonist R837. Support cells, but not neurons, produced nitric oxide in response to a TLR7 agonist. N = 8–10 replicates. Each replicate represents the average from 10 to 20 individual cells