Fig. 4.
Evidence that 3,6′-DT treatment inhibits stroke-induced disruption of the blood–brain barrier. A: Images of stroke-induced extravasation of Evans blue dye into the cerebral parenchyma (evaluated at 48 hr poststroke) in vehicle-treated and 3,6′-DT-treated (56 mg/kg; 1 hr prior to MCAO/R) mice. B: Evans blue index in mice treated with vehicle or 3,6′-DT 1 hr prior to MCAO/R in comparison with sham-operated mice (eight or nine mice per group). C: MMP-9 immunoreactivity in sections of striatum and cerebral cortex from mice in the indicated treatment groups. D: Results of quantification of numbers of MMP-9-immunoreactive cells (n = 6 mice per group). E: Immunoblot showing relative levels of MMP-9 in the striatum and cortex of mice in the indicated treatment groups (48 hr poststroke). F: Results of densitometric analysis of MMP-9 immunoblots. G: Immunoblot showing relative levels of occludin in the striatum and cortex of mice in the indicated treatment groups (48 hr poststroke). H: Results of densitometric analysis of occludin immunoblots. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 compared with the value for sham mice. #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01, ###P < 0.001 compared with the value for vehicle-treated mice. Scale bar = 50 μm. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]