Dose-Dependent Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Effects of an ανβ3 Integrin-Binding Peptide

Figure 1

The appearance of lesion site in each group observed with MRI scanning was in accord with the severity of inflammatory cells infiltration showed by H&E staining: bar = 100 μm. (a) Normal group, T₂W image of brain, without detectable changes occuring in the white matter. (b) The same animal as in (a). Histological staining. (c) Vehicle control rats at week 2 after immunization, T₂W image. An arrow indicates clear hyperintensity area in the white matter. (d) The same animal as in (c). H&E staining, an arrow shows abundant cellular infiltrates under meninges. (e) 0.5 mg/day C16 treated EAE rats at week 2 after immunization. T₂W image, an arrow showed a focal area with increased intensity. (f) The same animal as in (e). H&E staining. The arrow denotes “perivascular cuffing” of inflammatory cells. (g) C16 late treated EAE rats at week 2 after immunization. T₂W image, an increased intensity lesion area was defined by arrow. (h) The same animal as in (g). H&E staining. (i) At week 8 after immunization. T₂W image, arrow denotes an increased intensity lesion area, the same animal as in (j). H&E staining showed less severe inflammatory cell infiltration, and a lesion area was found at week 8 smaller than that at week 2 after immunization. (k) 2 mg/day C16 treated EAE rats at week 8 after immunization, T₂W image. (l) The same animal as in (k). H&E staining. ((m)–(p)) Diffuse infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed in the spinal cord of the vehicle control rats, and attenuated in C16 treated EAE rats at week 2 after immunization. H&E staining, traverse section through the lumbar spinal cord; bar = 100 μm. Normal rats group (m), vehicle control rats (n), 2 mg /day C16 treated EAE rats (o), and C16 late treated EAE rats (p). (q) Medium and high dose C16 treatment reduced inflammatory cells showed by inflammation score. ^a𝑃<0.05 versus normal rats; ^b𝑃<0.05 versus vehicle control rats at week 2 postimmunization group; ^f𝑃<0.05 versus vehicle control rats; ^g𝑃<0.05 versus 0.5 mg/day C16 treated EAE rats at week 8 after immunization. (r) C16 late treatment also inhibited inflammatory cells infiltration to a certain extent showed by inflammation score. ^a𝑃<0.05 versus normal rats; ^b𝑃<0.05 versus vehicle control rats at week 2 after immunization; ^c𝑃<0.05 versus C16 treated EAE rats at week 2 postimmunization group; ^d𝑃<0.05 versus vehicle control rats at week 8 after immunization.

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