Fig. 3

CSPGs as potential activators of pericytes. A A perivascular cuff from D16 EAE cerebellar white matter exhibiting laminin+ basement membranes (EBM-endothelial basement membrane; PBM-parenchymal basement membrane) laden with CD45+ leukocytes, majority of which are F4/80+ macrophages infiltrating the CNS (B). The selected region in B represents area corresponding to a perivascular cuff. Scale 50 µm. C, D Scale 50 µm. CSPG staining in naïve cerebellum (C) and around the cuffs in EAE cerebellum in close proximity to PDGFRβ+ pericytes (D). Scale 100 µm E MMP9 ELISA showing expression of MMP9 in culture medium from pericytes treated with 10 ng/mL each of IL-1β and IFN-γ, and 10 µg/mL of CSPGs. F RT-PCR of MMP9 transcripts in cultured pericytes in response to 6 h of stimulation with the inflammatory cocktail or CSPGs. Each datapoint in E and F represents technical replicates from different treatment conditions. Data are represented as mean ± SD. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01