Skip to main content
. 2023 Jun 12;120(25):e2300012120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2300012120

Fig. 7.

Fig. 7.

Replacing microglia/infiltrating macrophages in aged postischemic host mice with microglia/infiltrating macrophages from young postischemic donor brains promotes long-term stroke recovery. (A) Experimental design for validation of aging-induced impairment in prorepair effects of MG/MΦ. (B and C) Assessment of sensorimotor functions using the rotarod test (B, Left) and adhesive removal test (C, Left). Bar plots show the rotarod test (B, Right) and adhesive removal test (C, Right) at day 35 after MCAO. n = 8 to 10/group. Blue marks: Permanent PLX vs. No PLX, pink marks: PLX+Aged MG/MΦ vs. Permanent PLX, green marks: PLX+Young MG/MΦ vs. Permanent PLX, yellow marks: PLX+Young MG/MΦ vs. PLX+Aged MG/MΦ, ***P < 0.001, two-way repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni test on data after 10 d after MCAO. (D and E) Evaluation of cognitive functions, including spatial learning (D) and memory (E) using the Morris water maze test. n = 8 to 10/group. Blue marks: Permanent PLX vs. No PLX, pink marks: PLX+Aged MG/MΦ vs. Permanent PLX, green marks: PLX+Young MG/MΦ vs. Permanent PLX, yellow marks: PLX+Young MG/MΦ vs. PLX+Aged MG/MΦ, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.001, two-way repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni test (D) or one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni test (E). (F) Representative images of CD31 immunofluorescence staining in the peri-infarct areas from aged recipient mice at 35 d after stroke. Bar plot shows the quantification of CD31+ blood vessel densities. n = 8/group. (Scale bar, 100 μm.) *P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni test. (G) Representative images of Luxol fast blue staining in the peri-infarct areas from aged recipient mice at 35 d after stroke. Bar plot shows the quantification of the mean intensity decreases in ischemic hemispheres compared to intact hemispheres. n = 8/group. (Scale bar, 100 μm.) ***P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni test. (H) Representative images (Left) of CD31 and BrdU immunofluorescence staining in the peri-infarct areas in aged recipient mice at 35 d after MCAO. (Scale bars, 100 μm.) Arrowhead, CD31+ BrdU+ cell. Quantification (Right) of CD31+ BrdU+ cells in the peri-infarct areas from aged recipient mice at 35 d after stroke. n = 8/group. ***P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni test. (I) Representative images (Left) of APC and BrdU immunofluorescence staining in the peri-infarct areas in aged recipient mice at 35 d after MCAO. (Scale bars, 100 μm.) Arrowhead, APC+ BrdU+ cell. Quantification (Right) of APC+ BrdU+ cells in the peri-infarct areas from aged recipient mice at 35 d after stroke. n = 8/group. **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni test. (J) Two-tailed Pearson correlations of behavioral performances in the rotarod test with BV density (Upper Left), WM density loss (Lower Left), angiogenesis in ec (Upper Right), and oligodendrogenesis in ec (Lower Right) at day 35 postischemia. The 95% CIs are shown as dotted lines. n = 8/group. Abbreviationsns, not significant, MWM, Morris water maze; BV, blood vessel; WM, white matter; ctx, cortex; ec, external capsule; str, striatum.