Table 2.
Semi-quantitative analysis of the number of nuclear nuclear factor interleukin 6 (NF-IL6) signals and CD (cluster of differentiation) 68 positive cells in the anterior (AL), intermediate (IL) and posterior (PL) lobe of the pituitary in young and old male rats 24 h after injection of LPS (100 μg/kg) or PBS.
| Pituitary lobe | PBS young | LPS young | PBS old | LPS old |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear NF-IL6 immunoreactivity | ||||
| Anterior lobe | + (2,7) | ++ (3,9) | + (2,73) | ++ (3,87) |
| Intermediate lobe | ± (1,5) | ± (1,65) | ± (1,67) | ± (2,2) |
| Posterior lobe | ± (2,3) | ++ (3,73) | ++ (3,5) | +++ (4,87) |
| CD68 immunoreactivity | ||||
| Anterior lobe | ++ (3,5) | ++ (4) | ++ (3,83) | ++ (4,3) |
| Intermediate lobe | − (1) | − (1) | ± (1,83) | ± (1,67) |
| Posterior lobe | ± (2,25) | + (3) | ++ (4) | +++ (4,83) |
A five-point scale was used to rate the data: − (1) no signals, ± (2) single signals in some cases, + (3) low density; ++ (4) moderate density, +++ (5) high density. NF-IL6 immunoreactivity (IR): 2-3 animals per group, 4–10 sections per animal. CD68 IR: 2-3 animals per group, 2 sections per animals; robust differences between young and old are highlighted in bold.