Figure 6

GFAP positive astrocytes reduced by steroid treatment. There is very little GFAP staining in the grey matter in WT mice, either in the cranial motor nuclei (A, E, I), or spinal cord (M). In the SOD1 ^G93A saline group there was a marked GFAP up-regulation in the trigeminal (B), facial (F) and hypoglossal (J) nuclei, as well as the ventral spinal cord (N). A similar staining pattern is observed in SOD1 ^G93A mice treated with free MP (C, G, K, O). GFAP staining in SOD1 ^G93A 2B3-201 mice, however, was significantly reduced in all cranial motor nuclei (D, H, L), but not in the ventral spinal cord (P). Panels Q, S, U and W show quantification of GFAP staining intensity in the brainstem motor nuclei and spinal cord, and panels R, T, V and X show the density of GFAP⁺ astrocytes in these same regions. There is increased expression in all SOD1^G93A treatment groups compared with WT mice, but SOD1^G93A mice treated with 2B3-201 have less of a GFAP response compared with those treated with saline and free MP. Scale bar applies to all images. * p<0.05; ** p<0.01; *** p<0.001.