Fig 4. IVIG regulates plasma and hippocampal levels of antioxidant mRNAs in 3xTg mice.
A) IVIG increases plasma levels of select mRNAs regulating detoxifying antioxidant pathways. Bar graph shows that six months of placebo treatment resulted in a 40–60% reduction in the expression levels of transcripts encoding superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase 1 (GST1), and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) compared to baseline, whereas six months of IVIG treatment preserved the levels of these antioxidant enzyme transcripts. n = 12/group *, p < 0.01 compared to baseline, **, p < 0.001 compared to baseline, via one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s post hoc test for multiple comparisons. B) Antioxidant transcript levels are also preserved in the hippocampus of IVIG-treated mice. Bar graphs show relative expression levels of SOD2, GST1, and carbonyl reductase 1 (CBR1) in placebo and IVIG-treated mice compared to baseline, as quantified by qPCR. SOD2 and GST1 levels were reduced by ~40% in placebo-treated mice, whereas levels of these transcripts were unchanged in IVIG-treated mice. n = 6/group *, p < 0.05 compared to baseline, via one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s post hoc test for multiple comparisons. Other abbreviations: SOD1 (superoxide dismutase 1), GSR (glutathione reductase), GLRX (glutaredoxin).