NADPH Oxidase 2 Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in the Brain after Traumatic Brain Injury

Figure 2

Mice deficient in NOX2 have both reduced lesion size and reduced neuronal damage after TBI. (a) Representative cresyl violet staining on day 4 after TBI from sham, WT TBI, and NOX2 KO TBI mice show neurons. Images have been converted to grayscale for added clarity. Mice were sacrificed at 4 days after TBI, and the brains of sham, WT TBI, and NOX2 KO TBI were collected for sectioning into 20 μM slices. Lesion size of TBI mice was calculated as a percent relative to a similarly affected area from the contralateral cortex of the same section. Lesion areas used for quantification are outlined in black. NOX2 KO mice show reduced lesion volume on gross examination throughout the injured cortex as quantified to the right. mice/group. ( WT versus NOX2 KO) (b) Representative confocal images showing NeuN (green) and DAPI (blue) fluorescent signal of the injured cortex in sham, WT, and NOX2 KO mice at the 4-day post-TBI. NeuN/DAPI double-positive cells were counted and analyzed as a percent of total DAPI⁺ cells, which is shown below the representative panel. TBI reduces NeuN-positive cells in the injured cortex, which is attenuated with deletion of NOX2. n = 4 mice/group. Scale bar represents 50 μM. ( sham versus WT; ^### WT versus KO).

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