Pharmacological anti-inflammatory intervention results in a reduced avascular zone, fewer foreign body giant cells and decreased fibrotic encapsulation. (A) Diagram showing hydrocortisone (HC) treatment protocol used to dampen inflammation during FBR (7–28 DPS). (B) Representative images of Tg(tnfα:GFP); Tg(mpeg:mCherry), Tg(fli:GFP) suture site and Masson's Trichrome-stained section of suture tissue at the indicated time points following vicryl suture implantation and treatment with hydrocortisone. The site of suture implantation is marked by an asterisk; the dotted line indicates the zone of scarring and fibrotic encapsulation. n=6 independent fish per condition. (C) Quantification of mean±s.d. total inflammatory area surrounding the wound/suture, measured from images as in B. Statistical significance, as measured by two-tailed t-test, is P≤0.0001. (D) Quantification of mean±s.d. total area of fibrotic encapsulation, measured from images as in B. Statistical significance, as measured by two-tailed t-test, is P≤0.0001. (E) Quantification of mean±s.d. avascular zone area immediately adjacent to wound/suture, measured from images as in B. (F) Representative image of Tg(mpeg:mCherry) transgenic fish at 28 DPS, showing considerably fewer FBGCs (arrowhead) adjacent to the vicryl suture (white asterisk) following hydrocortisone treatment. n=6 independent fish per condition. (G) Quantification of results from images from F, showing that average number of FBGCs adjacent to the vicryl suture (within 200 μm radius) decreases following hydrocortisone treatment. Statistical significance, as measured by two-tailed t-test, is P=0.0008. Scale bars: 200 μm (B), 50 μm (F).
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