Figure 9.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells treatment decreases reactive astrocytes in the hippocampus. (A) Counts of GFAP+ cells were performed in the hippocampus. (B) Skeletons of GFAP+ hippocampal cells were analyzed with IMARIS for mice at 16 weeks post infection (wpi) and 18 wpi. AdMSC-treated animals at 16 wpi had (C) slightly shorter processes, and (D) more process branches and (E) more process endpoints. (F) Illustration depicting processes, process branches, and process endpoints in an astrocyte. AdMSC-treated animals at 18 wpi had (G) no change in process length, but (H) more branches and (I) more endpoints. Expression of C3 in S100β + hippocampal astrocytes was analyzed for mice at (J) 16 and 18 wpi with significantly less C3 expression seen in S100β + astrocytes from mice treated with AdMSCs for both (K) 16 wpi and (L) 18 wpi hippocampi (arbitrary units). Hippocampi were analyzed from 10 animals per timepoint, 6 AdMSC-treated and 4 PBS-treated controls. T-test with Welch’s corrections, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ****p < 0.0001, error bars = SEM. Representative images for IHC are at 20x, scale bar is 50 μm. Representative images for IF are at 40x, scale bar is 50 μm for skeletonization and 50 μm for C3 expression. Graphic created with BioRender.com.