GFAP-cre:TrkBflox/flox mice are protected from EAE-associated neurodegeneration. (A–D) Inflammation at peak of disease. (A) Images show hematoxylin and DAPI stainings of the spinal cord (S.C.) of GFAP-cre:TrkBflox/flox (right) and TrkBflox/flox mice (left) at day 18 after immunization with MOG_35–55 peptide. Graphic plots show quantification of white matter inflammation in different regions of the spinal cord in GFAP-cre:TrkBflox/flox mice and control littermates. The infiltration rate in the ventral white matter of the mouse spinal cord was calculated as the ratio in the number of DAPI⁺ nuclei between EAE mice and naive mice per unit of area. (B–D) Immunofluorescence for CD4, CD19, or F4/80 in GFAP-cre:TrkBflox/flox (right) and control mouse (left) spinal cord. Graphic plots show relative quantification. Red lines represent mean values for each group. Each dot represents an individual mouse. (E) Neurodegeneration at peak of disease. Confocal images show APP deposition in spinal cord white matter in GFAP-cre:TrkBflox/flox mice (right) and TrkBflox/flox control littermates (left), evaluated at day 18 after immunization. Relative quantification is given in the graphs. (A and E) Error bars indicate SEM. (F) Neurodegeneration versus infiltration rate in GFAP-cre:TrkBflox/flox mice and TrkBflox/flox control littermates. Four mice/group from two independent EAE experiments were analyzed. Bars, 50 µm. One z-stack images. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01.