Injection of c48/80 after challenges depletes mast cells and reduces CGRP⁺ nerve density and sensitivity.

<p>Density of Avidin⁺ mast cells (A) and CGRP⁺ cutaneous nerves (D) on day 9 after 4 treatments with c48/80 or saline (administered on days 5–8 after cessation of 10 Ox challenges) in 10 μm labiar cryo-sections, displayed as mean ± SEM (n = 2-3/treatment group). Representative images for mast cells (B-C) and nerves (E-F); 20x magnification; scale bar represents 50 μm. Means are compared to Ox/EtOH (** = p<0.01, *** = p<0.001); significance determined using one-way ANOVA and Tukey Kramer <i>post hoc</i> analysis. (G) Tactile sensitivity in mice treated with either saline or c48/80 (n = 6–9 mice per treatment group; two independent experiments). Means are compared to Ox/Ox/Saline (* = p<0.05, ** = p<0.01, *** = p<0.001); significance determined using an unpaired Student’s T test at each time point.