Figure 6.
DRGs from males and females reveal similarly reduced IL-1β and TNF mRNA levels following BIRT377 treatment. Total RNA was isolated from ipsilateral lumbar DRGs from the same mice used in Figure 2B, and analyzed for inflammatory cytokines. (A) In the DRGs, CCI induced CCL2 mRNA levels (F1,1 = 25.5, P < 0.0001) remained unchanged following BIRT377 treatment. (B) CCI increased IL-1β mRNA expression in females (F1,1 = 25.4, P < 0.0001) to a much greater degree than in males (F1,1 = 8.3, P = 0.006). BIRT377 treatment reduced IL-1β mRNA levels in mice with CCI (F1,1 = 25.4, P < 0.0001), with a greater magnitude in females (F1,1 = 4.95, P = 0.031). (C) Post-CCI TNF mRNA expression levels were increased (F1,1 = 61.81, P < 0.0001). BIRT377 treatment reduced TNF mRNA expression levels in mice with CCI (F1,1 = 9.92, P = 0.003). Post hoc comparisons revealed a significant reduction of TNF mRNA levels following BIRT377 treatment in CCI-treated males. (D) Following CCI, IL-10 mRNA expression levels were increased (F1,1 = 77.99, P < 0.0001). BIRT377 treatment did not further elevate IL-10 mRNA levels during neuropathy. *P values from post hoc comparisons ranges from P = 0.029 to P < 0.0001, n = 6 per group