FIGURE 2.

Zinc can protect neurons and inhibit spinal cord ferroptosis by increasing the expression of NRF2 and HO‐1. (A) The expressions of NRF2 and HO‐1 were evaluated at 3 d post‐SCI by Western blotting. (B‐C) Quantification of NRF2 and HO‐1 expressions (n = 6, all the data are expressed as means ± SD, two‐way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test was applied). (D) The schematic diagram of the ferroptosis pathway. (E–F) Quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR; n = 6 per group, one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Bonferroni's post hoc test). (G–J) Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the level of NRF2/HO‐1 from each group. (H, I) Statistical analysis of immunofluorescence staining for positive expression of NRF2/HO‐1 in nerve cells from each group (n = 6, scale bar = 50 µm, all the data are expressed as means ± SD, two‐way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test was applied). * means p < 0.05, ** means p < 0.01, and *** means p < 0.001