Effects of intra-thalamic injection of CoCl2 on HIF-1α, SDF1 and CXCR4, as well as on microglial marker Iba-1 and astrocytes marker GFAP expression in naïve rats. (A) Representative bands showing the effect of intra-thalamic injection of CoCl2 (100 mM, 1 μl) on HIF-1α, SDF1, CXCR4, as well as on Iba-1 and GFAP expression in the thalamic injection sites. (B) Quantification of Western blot assay showing that intra-thalamic CoCl2 injection increased HIF-1α, SDF1 and CXCR4 expression, and which were prevented by pre-injection of AMD3100 and YC-1. £P < 0.05, ££P < 0.01, &&&P < 0.001, ***P < 0.001 vs. ITS-7 d; §§P < 0.01, §§§P < 0.001, #P < 0.05, ###P < 0.001, ¥P < 0.05 vs. IT-CoCl2 at corresponding time points; n = 5/group. (C) Quantification of Western blot assay showing that intra-thalamic CoCl2 injection increased Iba-1 and GFAP expression, and which were prevented by pre-injection of AMD3100 and YC-1. *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001, &&&P < 0.001 vs. ITS group; §§P < 0.01, §§§P < 0.001, ###P < 0.001, vs. IT-CoCl2 at corresponding time points; n = 5/group. (D) Intra-thalamic injection of CoCl2 induced bilateral mechanical pain hypersensitivity in naïve rats which were prevented by pre-injection of AMD3100. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, IT-CoCl2/AMD vs. IT-CoCl2/Veh; PWMT, paw-withdrawal mechanical threshold; n = 7/group.