Immunohistochemistry of monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) in the CA1 region of the ischemia only (upper panel), and ischemic preconditioning + ischemia groups (middle panel) after sham operation (A, E), and 1 day (B, F), 2 days (C, G) and 5 days (D, H) after ischemia/reperfusion.
MCT4 immunoreactivity in the stratum pyramidale (SP, asterisk) was significantly increased at 2 days post-ischemia. Five days after ischemia/reperfusion, MCT4 immunoreactivity in the SP (asterisk) was decreased; at this time point, cells in the stratum oriens (SO) and radiatum (SR) show MCT4 immunoreactivity. In the ischemic preconditioning + ischemia groups, MCT4 immunoreactivity in the SP was higher than that in the ischemia only group. Double immunofluorescence staining (lower panel) for MCT4 (red, I) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, green, J) and merged images (K) in the CA1 region of the ischemia only group at 5 days post-ischemia. MCT4+ cells were co-stained with GFAP+ astrocytes (arrows). Scale bar: 50 μm (A–H), 10 μm (I–K).