Figure 7: Parameters of inflammation after induction of acute colitis with TNBS in WT and MMP-9^−/− mice.

Data are shown from TNBS exposed WT (n=10) and MMP-9^−/− (n=10) mice as well as control WT (n=8) and MMP-9^−/− (n=8) mice. The experimental set-up for control and TNBS-treated mice included presensitization with or without TNBS at day 0, followed by rectal injection of either 50% EtOH or 2.5% TNBS in 50% EtOH at day 7 and killing of all mice at day 10 (*) (a). As clinical parameters, relative weight curves (b), absolute weight loss at time of killing (c) and DAI (d) are shown. The macroscopic damage score (e), colon/body weight ratio (f), colon length (g) and colon weight/length (w/l) ratio (h) are shown as parameters of macroscopic colonic inflammation. Finally, histological inflammation (i) and histological active disease scores (j) are shown, in addition with H&E illustrations (k) of pieces of colon from EtOH- and TNBS-induced WT and MMP-9^−/− mice. Median values with interquartile range are represented when applicable. Statistical analyses were performed with Mann–Whitney U tests (*P<0.05, **P≤0.01 and ***P≤0.001). Scale bars of 200 μm are shown on the microscopic images.