NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in the Brain after Global Cerebral Ischemia and Regulation by 17β-Estradiol

Figure 9

The ability of E2 to attenuate expression of P2X7 receptor after GCI is lost in PELP1 forebrain-specific knockout mice. (a) Representative confocal images stained for Iba1 (red), P2X7 receptor (green), and NeuN (blue) show the activation of microglia and increased expression of P2X7 receptor in the hippocampal CA1 region of young adult female FLOX control as well as PELP1 KO mice 6 days after GCI. The P2X7 receptor colocalized very strongly with microglia. This expression and microglial activation are suppressed by E2 treatment in FLOX control mice but not in PELP1 KO mice (KO = PELP1 knockout) (magnification = 40x, scale bar = 50 μm). (b) MATLAB analysis of the images shows a statistically significant suppression of all of these proteins by E2 in FLOX control but not in KO mice (, sham versus GCI; , GCI versus GCI + E2; NS, not significant, KO GCI versus KO GCI + E2) ( animals/group).

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