Figure 5

BV2 microglial cells treated with the galectin-3 inhibitor show reduced phagocytic ability. Phagocytic ability of microglia was robustly increased after 12 h of treatment with α-synuclein aggregates (20 μm). Adding galectin-3 inhibitor (100 μm) to microglial cultures treated with α-synuclein aggregates for the same 12 h time period robustly reduced the phagocytosis down to baseline levels. Adding galectin-3 protein we could recover the phagocytic ability even when using the inhibitor at the same time. Phagocytosis was measured by the cellular uptake up of fluorescent beads. One-way ANOVA, *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01, n = 3, mean ± S.E.M.