Figure 3.

Intrathecal lidocaine pretreatment suppressed microglia-specific immunoreactivity induced by SNL in the spinal cord. Group S showed weak immunoreactivity of the microglial marker OX-42 in the left dorsal horn (A). In Group L, SNL induced a significant increase in microglia immunoreactivity in the ipsilateral spinal cord on POD₃ (B) and POD₇ (D). Intrathecal lidocaine pretreatment (Group P) decreased microglia immunoreactivity on POD₃ (C) but not on POD₇ (E). Data represent means ± SE (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, NS: not statistically significant; Mann-Whitney U test). Scale bars, 200 μm.