Figure 4.

MG-specific Nrf2 knockdown results in attenuated HO-1 expression in the ischemic brain after stroke. Male and female Cx3cr1^CreERT2/+ (C/+), Nrf2^fl/fl-Cx3cr1^CreERT2/+ (cKD), and Nrf2^-/- (tKO) mice were subjected to MCAO. (A, B) At 5 h post-reperfusion, mice were sacrificed, and the contralateral (Contra.; C) and ipsilateral (Ipsi.; I) hemispheres of male and female MCAO mice were harvested, followed by mononuclear cell isolation. The isolated cells were stained with antibodies against CD45 and CD11b followed by intranuclear staining with Nrf2 antibody. The cells were then subjected to flow cytometry analysis to assess CD45^intCD11b⁺ MG positive for Nrf2 expression (n=5/group). (C, D) On day 1 post-injury, the mononuclear cells isolated from the contralateral and ipsilateral hemispheres of male and female MCAO mice were stained with CD45 and CD11b antibodies followed by intracellular staining with HO-1 antibody. The cells were then subjected to HO-1 expression assessment in CD45^intCD11b⁺ MG (n=8/group). **p<0.01; ***p<0.001; N.S.: no significant difference by two-way ANOVA.