FIGURE 4.

Ibuprofen treatment improves myelination status in white matter of IUGR piglets. Representative images demonstrating high expression of myelin stained with Luxol fast blue (LFB) in untreated NG (A) compared with IUGR (B) brains (scale bar = 10 mm). The degree of LFB staining was consistent across all white matter (WM) regions in NG brains, while IUGR displayed overall lower levels with sparse staining evident across WM regions (compare B1&2 with A1&2). (C) Ibuprofen treated IUGR showed staining consistent with that observed in NG. (D) IUGR brains presented greater areas with significantly lower LFB staining, as indicated by percentage area for the first quartile. This was attenuated in IUGR treated with Ibuprofen. (E) IUGR displayed a decreased myelin status as shown by the lower myelin index in IUGR compared with NG. Ibuprofen treated animals maintained myelin status consistent with untreated NG. For (D,E) n = 5 for each group. Values are presented as mean ± SEM. Two-way ANOVA with Sidak post hoc test (^∗p < 0.05; ^∗∗∗p < 0.001).