Cuprizone-induced alterations in brain mRNA levels of cytokines and microglia activity markers: effect of EPO. All qPCR analyses presented have been performed after 6 wks of cuprizone ± EPO. Analyses of mRNA for cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, TGF-β) (A–C) and microglia activity markers (C1qA, Trem-2) (D, E) yielded significant shifts under cuprizone (all P < 0.05). EPO showed in several cases only a slight tendency in the respective other direction (all P > 0.05). Expression levels are normed to the normalization factor (NF; i.e. geometric mean of GAPDH, β-actin, and HPRT1 mRNA levels). For all panels: n = 5 –11; mean ± SEM is presented. PL, placebo.