Fig. 2

Neuronal cell loss occurs in the spinal cord ventral horn and retina during chronic EAE. (a-b) Representative images of CD3⁺ T cells in the SC ventral horn and retina with retinal layers labeled. Scale bars = 20 µm. (c-d) Representative images of NeuN⁺ cells in the SC ventral horn and Brn3a⁺ RGCs in the retina. Scale bars = 100 µm (SC) and 20 µm (retina). P values listed consecutively are naïve vs 15, 35, or 60 dpi, respectively. (e–f) Quantification of CD3⁺ cells in SC ventral horn relative to SC white matter (e, SC ventral horn compared to naïve: P = 0.5095, P = 0.4159, *P = 0.0173; SC ventral horn compared to SC white matter naïve: P = 0.9997, 15 dpi: P < 0.0001, 35 dpi: P < 0.0001, 60 dpi: P = 0.0666) and CD3⁺ T cells in the retina relative to ON (f, retina compared to naïve: P = 0.8109, P = 0.4692, P = 0.8611; retina compared to optic nerve naïve: P > 0.9999, 15 dpi: P < 0.0001, 35 dpi: P = 0.0004, 60 dpi: P = 0.0171). (g-h) Quantification of NeuN⁺ cells in SC ventral horn (region outlined in white boxes, P = 0.8769, *P = 0.0405, *P = 0.0286) and Brn3a⁺ cells in the retina (P = 0.2820, ***P = 0.0007, **P = 0.0014). Statistical differences were determined by one or two-way ANOVA with Holm-Šidák post-hoc test. All data are expressed as means ± SEM including n = 6 mice per group, 4–6 fields from 2–3 sections (SC), 12–16 fields from 3–4 sections (retina CD3) and 12 fields from one whole retina (Brn3a) per mouse. Bis = bisbenzimide