Figure 1.

Upregulation of P2Y₁₂R mRNA after peripheral nerve injury. Quantitative and histological analyses of P2Y₁₂R mRNA expression in the spinal cord are shown. A, Total RNA extracted from rat spinal cord was subjected to quantitative analysis of P2Y₁₂ mRNA expression after peripheral nerve injury by real-time PCR. Bar graphs show the average fold increase in the level of P2Y₁₂ mRNA expression in spinal cord hemisections compared with the mean expression level of P2Y₁₂ mRNA in naive animals. Each measurement was normalized to GAPDH content. Data are means ± SEM of five individual animals (*p < 0.05 vs the naive spinal cord, one-way ANOVA post hoc Tukey's test). B, A DIG-labeled RNA probe specific for P2Y₁₂ mRNA was visualized by in situ hybridization in rat spinal cord, 7 d after the nerve injury. C, An RNA-probed slice was subsequently stained with anti-Iba1 antibody and visualized with DAB staining. D, E, Magnifications of the squared area show the sections before and after Iba1 staining. Arrowheads indicate colocalization of P2Y₁₂ mRNA-positive cells and Iba1 signals. Scale bars, 10 μm.