Fig. 5

Association between glial cell accumulation and neuroaxonal damage. A Representative images of SC WML and NAWM of MOG-EAE mice in early and late EAE. Iba1 and GFAP staining. DAPI staining indicates the inflammatory infiltrate. 40 × magnification. Scale bar: 50 µm. B–D Quantification of mean iba1 fluorescence intensity in B WML and C NAWM as well as D mean iba1 fluorescence intensity ratios of WML/NAWM in early and late EAE (n = 8 mice per condition). 2-tailed Student’s t-test or Mann–Whitney U. Mean and SEM. E–G Quantification of mean GFAP fluorescence intensity in E WML and F NAWM as well as G mean GFAP fluorescence intensity ratios of WML/NAWM in early and late EAE (n = 8 mice per condition). 2-tailed Student’s t-test. Mean and SEM. H Representative images of SC lesions and NAWM of MOG-EAE mice in early and late EAE. Iba1 and SMI32 staining. DAPI staining indicates the inflammatory infiltrate. 40 × magnification. Scale bar: 50 µm. Arrowheads indicate microglial cells in close contact with axons. I, J Association of iba1 fluorescence intensity and mean numbers of SMI32-positive axons in I early and J late EAE (n = 8 per condition, Spearman or Pearson correlation)