Fig. 5

Expression of iron-regulatory proteins and total iron content in mice following single or r-mTBI. Iron-regulatory proteins (A-I) and total iron content (J and K) in the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres of the parietal cortex (injury site) following five impacts at 12 months post-injury. Iron-regulatory proteins were measured by western blot and total iron content via ICP-MS. (A) Significant increase in ferritin in the ipsilateral soluble fraction of 5x TBI animals compared to Shams. B Significant increase in DMT1, C trend towards a decrease in ferroportin and D significant decrease in transferrin receptor (TfR) in the ipsilateral insoluble fraction of 5x TBI animals compared to Shams, respectively. E No significant differences in ferritin in the contralateral soluble fraction of 5x TBI animals compared to Shams. No significant differences in DMT1 (F), ferroportin G or transferrin receptor H in the contralateral insoluble fraction of 5x TBI animals compared to Shams. I Representative western blot images correspond to the hemisphere and fraction of the protein depicted in the graph. Example of a loading control blot for ferritin from the 5 hit group. J ICP-MS revealed no changes in total iron content in the ipsilateral hemisphere of 5x TBI animals compared to Shams. K Significant increase in total iron content within the contralateral hemisphere of 5x TBI animals compared to Shams. Note that each of the antibodies were run on separate blots but are represented herein as a composite image for the purpose of clarity. Unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test. Data expressed as mean ± SEM, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ****P < 0.0001, n = 6–9 (Sham), n = 8–9 (TBI)