Figure 3.

Structural abnormalities in the myenteric plexus during HSV-1 infection. (A) Immunofluorescence on whole mount preparations of distal ileum for S-100β (glial marker), peripherin and βIII-tubulin (neuronal markers) was performed. Representative images of 4 independent experiments; n=1 mouse per experimental group; 10 independent fields per animal were examined. Scale bars: 75 µm. (B) Immunofluorescence on whole mount preparations of distal ileum for HuC/D (neuronal marker, in green) and nNOS (in red). Representative images of 6 independent experiments. n=1 mice per experimental group; 10 independent fields per animal were examined. Scale bars: 75 µm. (C) Western blot analysis of S-100β expression on protein extracts obtained from LMMP of sham and HSV-1 infected mice. β-actin was used as loading control. Representative images of 3 independent experiments are reported. (D) HuC/D⁺ nNOS⁺ cells analyzed as in (B) were enumerated as described in Results. Two investigators performed blinded image analyses. Data are reported as mean ± SEM of the number of positive cells/1mm². * denotes p < 0.05 vs sham infected mice.