Fig. 3

Changes in inflammatory cytokine levels in the liver tissue of ConA-injected animals at different time points after hVNS. a A schematic showing the time schedule for the treatments of ConA and hVNS and a sacrifice (SAC) of animals for western blot analysis. Animal groups are named based on the time interval between ConA injection and SAC. b, c Western blot analysis of TNF-α for the liver lysates from individual group of animals. d, e Western blot analysis of IL-1β for the liver lysates from individual group of animals. f, g Western blot analysis of IL-6 for the liver lysates from individual group of animals. Images in b–f are the representatives from four to five independent experiments, and the quantifications of protein band intensity relative to actin are plotted in c, e, and g. Western blotting for actin as sample loading control. In c, e and g, one-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc is shown. In c, ***p < 0.001 vs. CTL, †p < 0.05 vs. 3d VNS + Sham, ††p < 0.01 vs. 2d VNS + Sham. In e, *p < 0.05 vs CTL, ***p < 0.001 vs. CTL, †††p < 0.001 vs. 2d VNS + Sham. In g, *p < 0.05 vs. CTL, **p < 0.01 vs. CTL, ***p < 0.001 vs. CTL, ††p < 0.01 vs. 2d VNS + Sham