Fig. 7.

Lack of C3 prevents LPS-elicited progressive neurodegeneration. To achieve a greater degree of TH neuronal loss, a higher concentration of LPS (20 ng/ml) was used for both panels A and B. A Significant loss of TH neuron number in C57BL/6 J, but not in C3-deficient neuron/glial cultures 7 days after LPS (20 ng/ml) treatment. B LPS produced similar increases in supernatant TNF-α levels in both C57BL/6 J and C3-deficient neuron/glia cultures 3 h after treatment. C Dose-dependent loss of TH neurons in iC3b-treated in C57BL/6 J neuron/glial cultures 7 days after treatment. D Graded loss of TH neurons in C57BL/6 J, but not in Mac1-deficient neuron/glial cultures 7 days after various concentrations of iC3b treatment. All results are mean ± SEM from at least three independent experiments in duplicates. *p < 0.05, ** and ## p < 0.01. Panels A, B, and D were analyzed with two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s post hoc multiple comparisons test. Panel C was analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s post hoc multiple comparisons test