Figure 8.

The immunohistochemical examination of hepatic multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp-2) expression in methotrexate (MTX)-induced hepatotoxicity (×400). The liver tissues of the control (a) and paeonol (b) groups show cytoplasmic (black arrows) and nuclear (red arrows) Mrp-2 expression in the portal tract cells, mainly in the cells of bile ductules. The liver tissues of the MTX-treated rats show little cytoplasmic (black arrow) and nuclear (red arrow) Mrp-2 expression in the previously mentioned cells (c). In contrast, the liver tissues of the paeonol + MTX group show marked cytoplasmic (black arrow) and nuclear (red arrow) Mrp-2 expression in the portal tract cells, mainly in the cells of bile ductules (d). A semi-quantitative analysis of Mrp-2 positive cells (e). Data are represented as mean ± SEM (n = 6). Letters a,b Denote significant differences from the normal control and the MTX groups, respectively, at p ˂ 0.05.