Figure 3.

TLR4 deficiency affects early proliferation but not apoptosis of tubular epithelial cells upon UUO. (A and B) Proliferating (A) and apoptotic (B) cells in the obstructed and contralateral kidneys from WT (□) or TLR4−/− (■) mice after UUO. The number of proliferating (BrdU+) TECs is lower in the obstructed kidneys of TLR4−/− mice compared with WT mice 1 day after UUO, whereas there are no differences at later time points. The number of apoptotic (active caspase-3+) cells is similar in obstructed kidneys of WT and TLR4−/− mice at all time points. The number of positive stained TECs is counted in 10 nonoverlapping high-power fields. Because tubular atrophy is very severe 14 days after UUO in both groups, identification of epithelial cells is difficult; therefore, the total amount of positive cells is quantified at this time point. Representative pictures of WT and TLR4−/− mice are of 1 day after UUO. Data are means ± SEM of seven to eight mice per group. Contral., contralateral kidneys of mice subjected to 14 days of UUO. *P < 0.05. Magnification, ×400.