Effect of KRG on pancreatic macrophage infiltration in CsA-induced pancreatic injury.

<p>(A) Immunohistochemistry for F4/80, a macrophage marker, on pancreatic islets from the experimental groups. Weak immunoreactivity for F4/80 was found in the groups treated with VH alone or with VH plus KRG. However, the intensity of F4/80 staining increased in the CsA-only group, but this increase was attenuated in the CsA plus K0.2 or K0.4 groups. (B) Quantitative analysis of F4/80-positive islet cells in the experimental groups. The numbers of F4/80-positive islet cells were reduced significantly in the CsA plus K0.2 or K0.4 groups compared with the CsA-only group. (C) Quantitative analysis of iNOS, IL-6 and IL-17 using immunoblotting of whole pancreatic tissues from the experimental groups. The expression levels of these factors were significantly increased in the CsA-only group, but these increases were markedly attenuated by KRG cotreatment. (D) Representative photomicrographs showing double labeling for insulin (red) and iNOS or IL-6 or IL-17 (gray) in pancreatic cells in the same tissue sections from the experimental groups. As in whole pancreatic tissues, quantitative analysis results showed that the immunoreactivities of iNOS, IL-6 and IL-17 were increased in the CsA group, but these increases were decreased markedly by KRG cotreatment. Values are means ± SE (<i>n</i> = 10). Relative optical densities of bands in each lane were normalized with each β-actin band from the same gel. Magnifications×400. ^#P<0.05 vs. VH; *P<0.05 vs. CsA.