Fig. 2
Endothelial-specific UTX knockout enhances BSCB integrity and diminishes both macrophage infiltration and ROS levels post-SCI. a, b Representative digital pictures and NIRF images of spinal cord samples from EB leakage tests taken before and after SCI at different time points in UTXf/f and UTX−/− mice. Scale bar, 5 mm. c Quantitative analysis of the radiant efficiency of EB in b. n = 3 per group. d Representative TEM images of UTXf/f and UTX−/− mice SCI center ECs TJs in the sham and SCI 3d group. Red arrows point to TJs. Scale bar, 1 μm. e Quantitative analysis of TJs width, length and BMs thickness in d. n = 3 per group. f Representative immunofluorescence images of ZO-1 or Claudin-5 (red) and CD31 (green), and DAPI (blue) staining of the spinal cord injured and uninjured regions in UTXf/f and UTX−/− mice with SCI 3d. Scale bars, 500 μm and 50 μm. g Quantitative analysis of CD31+ZO-1+ and CD31+Claudin-5+ cells as a percentage of CD31+ cells in f, n = 6 per group. h Representative immunofluorescence images of UTXf/f and UTX−/− mouse SCI 7d spinal cord specimens stained with F4/80 and DAPI (blue). Scale bar, 500 μm. i, j Quantitative evaluation of F4/80 cells infiltration area and mean fluorescence intensity in h. n = 5 per group. k ROS levels in the epicenter of the SCI area. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. ns P > 0.05, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01