Fig. 2.

Preventive treatment with ADAMTS13 reduces clinical scores and preserves myelin in EAE mice. ADAMTS13 (50 ng in 2 μl PBS) or vehicle (2 μl PBS) was injected as a preventive treatment into the lateral ventricle of EAE mice every day from 7 dpi to 21 dpi. a The daily mean clinical score is shown, and the mean clinical scores at 21 dpi were compared between vehicle and ADAMTS13 group (**P < 0.01). b Cumulative clinical scores were summed by adding daily clinical scores from 7 dpi to 21 dpi. c The maximum clinical score of every EAE mouse was compared between groups. Data are from a single experiment representative of two independent experiments (a–c). ADAMTS13- or vehicle-treated EAE mice were sacrificed at 22 dpi, and lumbar spinal cord tissues were harvested. d Sections of lumbar spinal cords from EAE mice were subjected to LFB staining for assessment of demyelination and arrowheads show demyelinating lesions. Bars represent 100 μm (the upper panels) and 200 μm (the lower panels). e The extent of demyelination was compared between ADAMTS13- and vehicle-treated EAE mice (n = 4 each group). Values are expressed as mean ± SEM. Statistical significance was determined by the Mann-Whitney U test for clinical scores and by Student’s t test for percent demyelination. **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001