Fig 2: Effect of PEA on GFAP expression, a marker of the activation of astrocytes.Western blot analysis showed a significant expression of GFAP in SN. PEA treatment significantly reduced the activation of astrocytes after MPTP injection. The relative expression of the protein band (~50 kDa) was standardized for densitometric analysis to ß-actin levels, and reported in panel a1 are expressed as mean ± s.e.m. from n = 5/6 brains for each group. ***P<0.001 versus sham, ### P<0.001 versus MPTP+vehicle.

Fig 3: FK506 modulated astrocyte production of EGF in vivo. The expression levels of EGF in astrocytes was markedly increased in rats treated with FK506 on days 1, 3 and 7, compared with those in the normal control. However, EGF expression was decreased markedly after day 7 post-surgery. FK506 treated groups: (A) day 1; (B) day 3; (C) day 7; (D) day 14; and control groups: (E), day 1; (F), day 3; (G), day 7; and (H) day 14. Red indicates immunolabeling for EGF, green for GFAP, blue for DAPI, and yellow for the double staining with EGF and GFAP. EGF, epidermal growth factor; GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein.