Fig. 5

Neuronal FcεRIα mediates acute ocular itch induced by IgE-IC. A Representative gel band of trigeminal FcεRIα protein from mice injected AAV9-Pirt-NC-EGFP and AAV9-Pirt-shFcεRIα-EGFP. Western blot revealed a significant decrease in the protein level of FcεRIα in TG infected by AAV9-Pirt-shFcεRIα-EGFP compared with AAV9-Pirt-NC-EGFP. n = 4 mice/group, Student’s t-test. B Representative images of EGFP signal and FcεRIα labeled by immunostaining in TG from mice infected by viruses. Scale bar: 50 μm. Quantification showed reduced FcεRIα expression in TG but not in spleen of mice infected by AAV9-Pirt-shFcεRIα-EGFP compared with those infected by AAV9-Pirt-NC-EGFP. n = 4 mice per group; ***P < 0.001, Student’s t-test. C, F No significant differences were observed between mice infected by two viruses in pain-related wiping behavior and itch-related scratching behavior as instilled with capsaicin (C, D) or histamine (E, F). n = 7 mice per group; P > 0.05, Student’s t-test. G, H Time course of eye-towards scratching (G) and wiping (H) behavior before and after ocular instillation of IgE-IC (50 μg/ml; 5 μl) in mice infected by two designed viruses. ^#P < 0.05, ^###P < 0.001, IgE-IC vs. PBS within same virus; **P < 0.01, compared between two viruses as treated by IgE-IC. I Representative H&E images of conjunctiva from mice infected by two types viruses taken 1 h after ocular instillation with PBS or IgE-IC (50 μg/ml). Scale bar: 100 μm