Fig. 4

Change of astrocytes and neurons in the basal ganglia of MPTP-administered mice. a Change of astrocyte activation and neuron in the STN after MPTP treatment. GFAP-immunoreactivity was increased in the STN after MPTP treatment (Ae-h) compared to saline treatment (Aa-d), whereas there is no difference in NeuN-immunoreactivity between two groups (scale bars = 100 μm) (n = 4 per group). b Change of astrocyte activation and neuron in the GP after MPTP treatment. There were no differences in GFAP- and NeuN-immunoreactivity in the GP after MPTP treatment (Be-h) compared to saline treatment (Ba-d) (scale bars = 50 μm) (n = 4 per group). c Change of microglial activity in the CPu, the GP, and the STN after MPTP treatment. The Iba1 expression (red arrows) as a marker for microglial activity was increased in the CPu (Cd) and the STN (Cf), but not in the GP (Ce) after MPTP treatment (Cg) compared with saline treatment (Ca, Cb, and Cc, respectively) (scale bars = 100 μm) (n = 5 per group, p < 0.001, CPu; p < 0.05, STN, unpaired t-test). d Change of neuronal activity in the caudate-putamen, the GP, and the STN after MPTP treatment. The c-Fos expression as a marker for neuronal activity was remarkably increased in the CPu (Dd) and the GP (De), but not in the STN (Df) after MPTP treatment (Dg) compared with saline treatment group (Da, Db, and Dc, respectively) (scale bars = 100 μm) (n = 4 per group, p < 0.0001, CPu; p < 0.01, GP, unpaired t-test). CP, cerebral peduncle; CPu, caudate-putamen; GP, globus pallidus; i.c., internal capsule; Opt, optic tract; STN, subthalamic nucleus