Figure 6

Upregulation of ER stress molecules in the spinal cord central canal region. Semiquantitative analysis of the cells of the central canal (RH panel) showed a trend towards upregulation of the ER stress chaperones BiP and CRT when compared to control animals but these differences did not reach significance. Significant upregulation of CHOP, XBP1 and p-eIF2α was detected when EAE and saline samples were compared. CHOP and p-eIF2α values were significantly different to those seen in IFA controls. Representative images of staining in IFA control spinal cord tissue (LH panels) and in EAE lesions (middle panels) are shown. Magnified images of cells positively stained for CHOP (inset, RH middle panel) and p-eIF2a (inset, bottom middle panel) show cuboidal morphology consistent with ependymal cells. Histogram data is represented as semi-quantitative immunostaining score / mean arbitrary units (AU)±SEM, n = 5 for all scores except XBP1, where n = 4 for EAE-treated animals and n = 3 for CRT stained section in saline control group. Key: *=p<0.05; **p<0.01. Scale bars = 50 μm.