Figure 1
Chronic EtOH feeding down regulates α-defensin expression in mouse intestine. (A–F) Adult mice were fed a liquid diet with EtOH (EF) or isocaloric maltodextrin (PF) for 4 weeks. RNA extracted from ileal mucosa was subjected to RT-qPCR for Defa4 (A), Defa5 (B) and Defa6 (C) genes. Cryosections of ileum from PF and EF groups were stained for F-actin (green) and DEFA6 (D). Density of DEFA6 fluorescence was measured (E) and number of lysozyme-positive cells at the crypt base were counted (F). Values are mean ± sem (n = 4). Asterisks indicate the value that is significantly (p < 0.05) different from corresponding PF value. (G–M) In EtOH and recurrent colitis model, adult mice were subjected to DSS-induced colitis three times with 15-day recovery intervals, followed by 15-day recovery from third colitis. During the intervals and recovery period, mice were fed a liquid diet with EtOH (EF) or isocaloric maltodextrin (PF). RNA extracted from mucosa of colon (G–I) and ileum (J–L) was subjected to RT-qPCR for Defa4 (G,J), Defa5 (H,K) and Defa6 (I,L) genes. Cryosections of colon from DSS and DSS + EtOH groups were stained for F-actin (green) and DEFA6 (M); the white bar represents 8 μm in distance. Values in panels A–C and E–J are mean ± sem (n = 6). Asterisks indicate the values that are significantly (p < 0.05) different from corresponding PF values, and hash tags indicate the values that are significantly different from corresponding DSS values. The white bars in panels D and M represent 5.8 μm distance.
