Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Protects against Spinal Cord Ischemia Reperfusion Injury-Induced Apoptosis by Blocking Autophagy

Figure 5

Immunofluorescence staining of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and caspase 3 in sham, ischemia reperfusion (I/R), 10 mg/kg nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), and 75 mg/kg NAD⁺ group. (a) TUNEL-positive neurons (arrow) were observed in different groups (200x, scale bar = 100 μm). (b) Caspase 3-positive neurons (arrow) were observed in different groups (200x, scale bar = 100 μm). (c, d) Analysis of the percentage of TUNEL-positive neurons and fluorescence intensity of caspase 3-positive neurons in each group, respectively. Compared with the sham group, the percentage of TUNEL-positive neurons and fluorescence intensity of caspase 3-positive neurons were significantly increased in the I/R group. Compared with the I/R group, the percentage of TUNEL-positive neurons and fluorescence intensity of caspase 3-positive neurons significantly were decreased in the 75 mg/kg NAD⁺ group. No significant differences were observed in the 10 mg/kg NAD⁺ group. Values are means ± SD ( per group). versus sham; versus I/R; versus I/R.

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