Figure 7

Treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin in mice with cerebral malaria reduces neuronal apoptosis in the brain. Apoptotic neurons in the brain of mice with ECM. The micrograph shows TUNEL (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP)-digoxigenin nick end labelling) positive nuclei of cells in the cortex of a terminally ill mouse with ECM. Earlier work had shown that the round shaped nuclei belong to neurons [24]. The mean number of TUNEL+ neurons in the brains of recombinant human Erythropoietin (rhEpo) treated mice with ECM is significantly lower than in vehicle treated controls (P = 0.006). Countings from TUNEL-stained sagittal sections of both hemispheres. Scale bar: 50 μm. Statistical analysis: Students t-test. The ends of the boxes define the 25th and 75th percentiles, with a line at the median and error bars defining the 5th and 95th percentiles.