Figure 4

Long-term consumption of high sucrose exacerbates EAE disease. (a) Clinical score of mice consuming 10% sucrose (w/v), different HSCBs or H₂O control (n=10) after immunizaiton. (b and c) Representative histological sections of spin cords isolated from mice on day 18 after immunization and quantitative analysis of disease severity. Infiltration of lymphocytes and demyelination are highlighted by arrow, and scale bars are present as 250 μm. (d–g) Representative staining and statistical analysis of Th17 cells in the CNS (d and f) and inguinal LN (e and g) on day 18 post immunization. Represented dots were gated on TCRβ⁺ CD4⁺. (h) Three-dimensional Unweighted Unifrac principal coordinates analysis plots of fecal samples isolated from mice consuming individual beverages for 8 weeks (n=10). (i and j) Representative staining and statistical analysis of Th17 cells in different organs of mice consuming 10% sucrose or H₂O. Represented dots were gated on TCRβ⁺ CD4⁺. (k) Clinical EAE score of mice with clearance of microbiota before immunization (n=7). (l and m) Microbiota depleted mice were transferred with feces from mice consuming 10% sucrose or H₂O, the Th17 level in the colon was assessed and shown. (n) Feces recipients as in (l and m) were also immunized for EAE, and the clinical score was assessed and shown (n=7). All data above are representative of at least two independent experiments.