Fig. 1

Direct injection of high affinity anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) monoclonal antibody into the optic nerve induced neuromyelitis optica (NMO)-like pathology. A Experimental time course. Control-immunoglobulin G (IgG) or anti-AQP4 IgG (E5415A) is directly injected into the optic nerve. B, C Immunohistochemical analysis of Intact, Control/AQP4-IgG-injected rats. Scale bar: 500 μm (low magnification) and 50 μm (high magnification). Longitudinal sections of the optic nerve at 2 days after IgG injection. Representative images of AQP4(red)/Co-immunostaining with DAPI (blue), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; red). D, E Quantification of AQP4 and GFAP positive area (%) (Intact: n = 5, Control-IgG: n = 5, AQP4-IgG: n = 5, mean ± SEM, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 assessed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Bonferroni tests). F, G Immunohistochemical analysis of Intact, Control/AQP4-IgG-injected rats. Scale bar: 500 μm (low magnification) and 50 μm (high magnification). Longitudinal sections of the optic nerve at 2 and 4 days after IgG injection. Representative images of ionizing calcium-binding adaptor protein-1(Iba1: green), and myeloperoxidase (MPO: red). H, I Quantification of Iba1, MPO positive area (%) (Intact: n = 5, Control-IgG: n = 5, AQP4-IgG: n = 5, mean ± SEM, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 assessed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Bonferroni test) J, K Quantification of Iba1, MPO positive area (%) (Control-IgG: n = 5, AQP4-IgG: n = 5, mean ± SEM, **p < 0.01, assessed by Student’s t test)