FIG 9.

MTX treatment ameliorates renal inflammation after IRI. WIM-6 mice were intraperitoneally administered MTX or saline before induction of left unilateral IRI. The inflammatory status of the kidneys was evaluated 1, 2, and 5 days after IRI using an in vivo imaging system. (A) (Top) Dorsal images of saline-treated control WIM-6 mice showing robust luciferase luminescence in the left kidney after IRI. IRI was performed only for the left kidney. (Bottom) MTX pretreatment reduced luciferase luminescence. (B) (Left) IVIS-CT transverse sections of the lower thoracic level of saline-treated control mice showing strong luciferase luminescence in the left kidney after IRI induction. (Right) MTX pretreatment reduced the luciferase luminescence in the kidney. (C) Quantification of the luminescence data. Robust luciferase luminescence was induced in the saline-treated control mice 1 and 2 days after IRI (red line). Thereafter, the luminescence level gradually decreased. MTX pretreatment dramatically decreased the luciferase luminescence level (blue line). The data are shown as means and SD (n = 3 for each group). Statistically significant differences are indicated (*, P < 0.05).