Figure 2.

N2A cells cultured in the presence of healthy serum (H) or GWI serum (GWI) with and without CaCl₂ (Ca) in the presence or absence of CaCl₂. (A) More cells (intact nuclei stained blue with DAPI) became permeable to PI (red stain, arrows) in the presence of GWI serum compared with healthy indicating compromised ability to reseal their membranes; the addition of exogenous CaCl₂ had a protective effect. (B) GWI increased the percentage of cells permeable to PI almost by 2× (***P < .001). The addition of CaCl₂ prevented increased permeability to PI, as did the addition of antibodies to anthrax (AA) (B). DAPI indicates 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; GWI, Gulf War Illness; N2A cells, neuroblastoma 2A cells; PI, propidium iodide.