hEPO+MBs/FUS inhibits the ischemia/reperfusion-induced neuronal death and inflammation in rat experiments.

<p>Immunohistochemical staining of NeuN, CD-11b, and GFAP was performed 24 h after I/R. (A) illustrated the position of FUS sonication. In NeuN staining (B, E, and H), the I/R group showed a marked loss of neurons, whereas, neurons were intact in the sham and I/R+hEPO+MBs/FUS groups. In CD-11b staining (C, F, and I), the I/R group showed microglia activation (condensed nuclei), whereas the sham and I/R+hEPO+MBs/FUS groups showed ramified microglia. In GFAP staining (D, G, and J), there was an increase of GFAP in the I/R group but not in the sham and I/R+hEPO+MBs/FUS groups. (Scale bar  =  200 µm).</p

Enhancement of hEPO delivery into the brain tissues by MBs/FUS.

<p>hEPO and MBs were intravenously administered and FUS was transcranially applied. (A) Rat brains were perfused and sliced into sections at 3 h after hEPO injection. Sonicated region of the brain was dissected and quantified. The hEPO levels in sections 3 and 4 were significantly higher in the I/R+hEPO+MBs/FUS group compared to the I/R+hEPO group (n = 3 for each). Data were given as means ± S.E.M., * p<0.05, as compared with the I/R+hEPO group. (B) CSF was sampled at 3 h after hEPO injection. The hEPO concentration of CSF in the I/R+hEPO+MBs/FUS group showed significant enhancement compared with the I/R+hEPO group. (C) The serum hEPO was also sampled at 3 h after hEPO injection. No hEPO was found in the sham and I/R groups without hEPO injection.</p

Improvement in catwalk automated gait analysis test by hEPO plus MBs/FUS in chronic phase of 3VO.

<p>Two gait analysis parameters, paw intensity (A) and paw angle (B), were assessed from Day-7 to Day-28 after I/R. In both paw intensity and paw angle, treatment with hEPO+MBs/FUS significantly improved the performance of impaired limb. Data were shown as mean ± SEM (n = 5 for each group), * p<0.05 as compared with the sham (control group), # p<0.05 as compared with the I/R group.</p