MPTP induced microglia activation is suppressed in ASK1^−/− mice.

<p>(A, B) Immunohistochemistry with the microglial marker Iba1 (polyclonal, 1∶2,000) of nigral (SNc) and striatal (ST) sections. Scale bar = 100 µm. (C) Quantification of nigral Iba1 immunopositivity. * p<0.001. (D) Quantification of striatal Iba1 immunopositivity. * p<0.001. Quantifications were done using ImageJ. (E) MPTP-induced COX-2 expression is attenuated in ASK1^−/− mice. Midbrains containing substantia nigra were homogenized and lysed for Western blotting for COX-2. Samples from two different mice per group are shown. * p<0.001. WT-Saline (n = 4), WT-MPTP-1 day (n = 4), WT-MPTP-3 day (n = 4); ASK1^−/−-Saline (n = 3), ASK1^−/−-MPTP-1 day (n = 4), ASK1^−/−-MPTP-3 day (n = 3).