Figure 4
Intrarectal administration of butyrate acid protected mice from dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis via milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8). (a) Protocol for experimental colitis and treatment with 100 mM butyrate. (b) Effects of butyrate on body weight changes in DSS-treated wild-type (WT) and MFG-E8−/− mice. Data are expressed as serial changes in the percentage of weight change during DSS administration. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 vs DSS-treated WT mice that received saline enemas, #P<0.05 vs DSS-treated MFG-E8−/− mice that received saline enemas. Error bars indicate SEM values (n=5 mice per group). (c) Effects of butyric acid enemas on colon length in mice with or without DSS treatment. Error bars indicate the standard error of mean values. *P<0.05 vs DSS-treated WT mice that received saline enemas. (d) Representative histological images and histological scores of colonic samples dissected from experimental mice. *P<0.05 vs DSS-treated WT mice that received saline enemas. Error bars indicate standard error of mean (s.e.m.) values (n=5 mice per group). (e) Proinflammatory cytokines in colonic tissue contents of DSS-treated mice with or without intrarectal administration of butyrate acid. Cytokine contents were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Error bars indicate the standard error of mean values independently obtained from five mice. **P<0.01 vs DSS-treated WT mice that received saline enemas. (f) Effects of butyrate acid on MFG-E8 in DSS-treated mice. MFG-E8 contents in colonic tissues were evaluated using ELISA. Error bars indicate the standard error of mean values independently obtained from five mice. **P<0.01 vs DSS-treated WT mice with saline enema. IL, interleukin; KO, knockout; MIP-2, macrophage inflammatory protein 2.
