Figure 3
Caspase-11−/− mice show increased colonic tissue damage and leukocyte infiltration, despite normal apoptosis. (a) Representative microscopic pictures and (b) semiquantitative scoring of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)–stained colon sections of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)–treated C57BL/6J, caspase-11−/− (C11−/−), and caspase-1−/−/11−/− (C1−/−/11−/−) mice without (0% DSS) or 10 days after induction with 2% DSS. (c) Representative microscopic pictures and (d) semiquantitative scoring of H&E–stained colon sections of DSS-treated C57BL/6J and C11−/− mice that were co-housed together for 4 weeks and afterwards induced with 2% DSS. Data depict the mean±s.d. (b, n=4 per group and d, n=5 per group). Bar=100 μm. (e) Representative microscopic pictures and (f) quantification of the number of TUNEL (TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling)-positive cells per field of DSS-treated C57BL/6J, C11−/− and C1−/−/11−/− mice 3 days after induction with 4% DSS. Bar=50 μm. Data depict the mean±s.e.m. in 5 (0% DSS) and 10 (4% DSS) optical fields per mouse (n=4 per group). Statistical significance between DSS-treated C57BL/6J, C11−/− and C1−/−/11−/− mice is indicated. ***P<0.001; n.s., not significant.
