Fig. 1

TRAIL inhibited disease severity and gut inflammation in DSS-induced colitis. In the group with DSS-induced colitis, C57BL/6 mice were fed 2.5% DSS in sterilized drinking water for 5 days (days 0–5), followed by 2 days of normal water (days 6 and 7) and treated with either the vehicle (200 μl/mouse/day, i.p.) or different dosages of TRAIL (5, 20, and 50 μg/mouse/day, i.p.) from day 0. Control mice were given normal drinking water only. a Body weight changes (% original body weight) in each group were recorded, and results are presented as the mean ± SD (n = 15 in each group). * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 by Student’s t test, compared to DSS-induced colitis mice treated with vehicle. b Representative colon lengths in each group are shown at the end of treatment (day 7). c Quantitative colon length and d the ratio of the colon weight to the length in each group are shown at the end of treatment (day 7). Data are presented as the mean ± SD (n = 15 for each group). * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 by Student’s t test. e Representative H&E staining of colon tissues (distal part of the colon, day 7) from each group is shown (left panel) and was quantified by a histological injury score (right panel). **p < 0.01 by Student’s t test. Data are representative of at least three independent experiments