Fig. 5: Short-term zonulin antagonist treatment improves bone homeostasis.

a–c Time course of a intestinal barrier permeability (n = 5), b total arthritis scores (n = 5) and c serum zonulin levels in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice treated with Larazotide (zonulin antagonist) between 17 and 27 days post immunization (dpi) (n = 5, box and whiskers showing 1–99 percentile). d Time course of arthritis scores in mice induced for CIA treated with the zonulin agonist (AT-1002) (n = 5). e, f Histological analysis of tarsal joints after zonulin antagonist treatment showing e inflamed area and respective H&E-stained sections (size bar: 500 µm) (n = 5, showing 1–99 percentile) as well as f osteoclast numbers with respective TRAP-stained sections (size bar: 500 µm) (n = 5, showing 1–99 percentile). g Bone densities in mice treated with zonulin antagonist and respective micro-CT images (n = 5). h Osteoclast numbers per bone parameter in the tibia of CIA mice treated with zonulin antagonist between 17 and 27 days post immunization (n = 5, showing 1–99 percentile). i Schematic overview of cell trafficking experiments using photoconvertible Kaede mice. j Quantification of photoconverted cells from Kaede mice in lymphoid organs and the synovial tissue following short-term zonulin antagonist treatment (n = 8). k Cell populations identified in MLN, spleen and synovial tissue from Kaede CIA mice at day 26 post immunization (n = 6). Data are derived from three independent experiments and expressed as the mean ± s.d. Statistical difference was determined by Students’ t test, two-tailed (g) or two-way ANOVA (a–f, h, i). *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001. Dashed red line: time point of clinical disease onset. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.