Fig. 7

EBI2 promotes an increase in the number of colonic lymphoid structures in chronic intestinal inflammation. Lymphoid structures were quantified in representative HE-stained colon sections. (a) Quantification of lymphoid structures in female wild-type (n = 6) and EBI2^−/− mice (n = 6) with chronic DSS colitis and water controls (n = 6 each). (b) As in (a), but with wild-type (n = 6) and CH25H^−/− mice (n = 5) and water controls (n = 5 / n = 6). (c) Quantification of lymphoid structures in EBI2^−/−IL10^−/− and IL10^−/− male mice at the indicated ages or after occurrence of prolapse. The dotted line indicates the mean number of lymphoid structures in wild-type animals at the age of approximately 200 days. (d) Correlation of the numbers of lymphoid structures with histological scoring of 120 (grey) and 200 days old (black) EBI2^−/−IL10^−/− and IL10^−/− male mice. (e, f) Cellular characterization of lymphoid structures (e): SILT and (f): CLP with immunofluorescent staining of colon Swiss rolls for B220 (green; left panels) or c-kit (green; right panels), CD3 (red) and DAPI (blue) in wild-type and IL10^−/− mice at the age of 200 days. Scale bars: 200 µm. Data from chronic DSS colitis (a and b) are pooled from two independent experiments each. Data from IL-10 colitis: each animal represents an independent observation from continuous breeding > 12 months. Data shown as mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis: Mann–Whitney U test; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ****p < 0.0001; correlation analysis: Spearman R