Effect of N-Acetyl Cysteine on Intracerebroventricular Colchicine Induced Cognitive Deficits, Beta Amyloid Pathology, and Glial Cells

Figure 10

Photomicrographs of the frontal cortical regions in different groups of rats immunostained for Iba1 to label reactive microglia. Note the presence of reactive microglia (arrow) in large number in AD group in all regions and their distribution is less dense in AD+NAC group (photomicrographs of sham and AD+NAC 50 groups are avoided for simplicity). Scale bar= 25μ. Graph shows quantitative estimation of number of Iba1 positive reactive microglia in various prefrontal cortical regions. In all regions 400μ2 area was selected for quantification. Note that, in all regions, the number of microglia was significantly increased in AD group compared to control group. Number of microglia decreased significantly in AD+NAC-50 and AD+NAC 100 compared to AD group. In MCF, number of microglia significantly increased compared to control group. Values are expressed as mean ±SE. Control/sham versus AD: ∗∗∗, p<0.001; control/sham versus AD+NAC50; or control/sham versus AD+NAC100: $$$, p<0.001, AD versus AD+NAC 50/100: ###, p< 0.001 (one-way ANOVA, Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test, and n=6 in all groups). MFC-Media prefrontal cortex, OFC-Orbital prefrontal cortex, and LFC-Lateral prefrontal cortex.