Inflammation, glial activation and viral distribution in the brain of BDV-infected TNF-transgenic and wild-type mice.

<p>A–F Hematoxylin and eosin staining: Mild inflammatory reaction and no microglia activation in non-transgenic BDV-infected mice (A, higher magnification in D). In contrast, moderate to severe inflammatory reaction and microglia activation in heterozygous (B, higher magnification in E) and homozygous (C, higher magnification in F) TNF-transgenic mice. TNF-overexpressing striatum, 42 dpi Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to assess the degree of encephalitis and number of reactive microglia cells. <b>G–I GFAP-immunostaining:</b> Astrogliosis in all BDV-infected mice groups with more GFAP-positive astrocytes in the transgenic animals. GFAP-immunostaining was carried out to assess the number and morphology of activated astrocytes as GFAP expressing cells. TNF-overexpressing striatum, 42 dpi –/– <b>J–L Immunostaining for the viral nucleoprotein: </b>Comparable viral distribution within the brain in all BDV-infected mice groups. Immunostaining for the viral nucleoprotein was used to assess the number of BDV-infected cells. TNF-overexpressing striatum, 42 dpi –/–: non-transgenic mice, Tg/–: heterozygous transgenic mice, Tg/Tg: homozygous transgenic mice,scale bars: 100 µm (A–C; G–L); 50 µm (D–F).