Expression of CSPGs in the high-dose ChABC treatment groups at 4 weeks after spinal cord transection.

<p>The figures present CSPG immunohistochemistry in longitudinal spinal cord sections at 4 weeks after parenchymal chondroitinase injections at 2 weeks after injury. The undigested CSPG, CS56 (A, E, I), and digested CSPGs, 2B6 (B, F, J), C4S (C, G, K), and C6S (D, H, L), were detected with specific antibodies. There was an abundance of CS56 immunoreactivity within the lesion site in the transected spinal cord (A). In contrast, the ChABC treatment dramatically decreased the CS56 immunoreactivity in the 50 U (E) and 100 U (I) groups. The digested CSPGs, which were detected by the anti-2B6, C4S and C6S antibodies, were significantly increased in the 50 U (F, G, H) and 100 U (J, K, L) groups compared to the control group (B, C, D). The histogram represents the quantitative analysis of the digested and undigested CSPG immunoreactivity at the injured site (M). There were significant differences in the levels of CS56, 2B6, C4S and C6S immunoreactivity between the ChABC-treated and control groups (each n = 4; *<i>p</i><0.05; **<i>p</i><0.01, one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s post hoc test), but there was no significant difference between the 50 U and 100 U ChABC-treated groups. The error bars denote the SEM. Scale bar = 1000 μm.