Figure 4

Modulation of intestinal immunity in CIA rats by ATRA. Relative expression levels of FoxP3 mRNA (a) and IL-17 mRNA (b) in rat colon and ileum tissues were determined by RT‒qPCR (N = 6 per group). Representative images of flow cytometric analysis of the CD4⁺CD25⁺FoxP3⁺ Treg cell (c) and CD4⁺IL-17A⁺ Th17 cell (d) proportions in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). (e) The proportions of CD4⁺CD25⁺FoxP3⁺ Tregs and CD4⁺IL-17A⁺ Th17 cells are represented as the mean ± SD (N = 3 per group). Mean fluorescence intensity of FoxP3 (f) and IL-17A (g) at single cell levels. The levels of IL-10 (h), IL-17 (i) and SIgA (j) secretion in the rat ileum and colon were quantified via ELISA (N = 6 per group). Bars, SD; ^*P < 0. 05, ^**P < 0. 01, ^***P < 0.001 versus Blank; ^#P < 0. 05, ^##P < 0. 01, ^###P < 0. 001 versus Control.