Figure 6.

Cochlear exacerbated inflammatory response and macrophage recruitment in Dusp1^−/− mice is limited by N-acetylcysteine administration. (A) RT-qPCR gene expression levels of inflammatory mediators from whole cochlea pooled samples from 3 mice per condition. Expression levels were calculated as 2^−ΔΔCt (RQ) from triplicate measurements using Hprt1 as a reference gene and normalized to levels in 8-week-old wild-type (WT) mice. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. (B) Representative basal and middle turn cochlear spiral ligament (Spl) cross-cryosections of 16-week-old WT, Dusp1 knock-out (KO) and NAC-treated Dusp1 KO mice immunolabeled for IBA1 in red (a–f). Arrowheads highlight positive macrophages staining. Spl close ups (a’–f’). Scale bar: 40 μm in a and 25 a’. (C) IBA1 quantification in the spiral ligament. Staining intensity was quantified in 3 mice per condition in at least 3 serial sections per turn. Data are presented as a box plot, mean value is plotted as a filled circle and whiskers represent min and max values. Statistical significance between genotypes and time points was analyzed by one-way ANOVA: * vs. KO, # vs. WT, $ 8-week-old mice vs. 16-week-old mice (**, ##, $$ p < 0.01; ***, ###, $$$ p < 0.001).