Fig. 6.

Effects of PAP on microglial activation and the mRNA expression of inflammatory markers in the brains of LPS-injected mice. a, b Immunohistochemical staining for Iba-1 and quantification of the number of Iba-1-positive microglia 3 days after LPS injection (each group n = 4–5). Microglial activation in the cortex, hippocampus, and substantia nigra of LPS-injected mice was reduced by PAP (30 mg/kg), and this was reversed by H89 treatment. Representative images (a) and the quantification of data (b) are shown. Scale bars, 100 μm. c, d Effects of PAP on the mRNA levels of iNOS, cytokines, microglial activation markers (TLR2, TLR4), and proinflammatory MMPs (MMP-3, MMP-8) in the cortices of LPS-injected mice (each group n = 4). Representative gels (c) and quantification data (d) are shown. e, f Effect of H89 on PAP-mediated suppression of proinflammatory gene expression in LPS-injected mouse brains. *p < 0.05, control vs. LPS-treated group; ^#p < 0.05, LPS vs. LPS+PAP-treated group; ^##p < 0.05, LPS+PAP vs. LPS+PAP+H89 group