Figure 1.

Crosstalk between the intestine and the brain in a mouse model of DSS-induced colitis.

(A) DSS administration via drinking water in mice triggers intestinal inflammatory processes with cytokines release and colon macrophage infiltration. (B) Inflammation also propagates to the brain although we report regional differences in the peripheral inflammatory response caused by DSS experimental colitis in the brain. In particular, chronic colitis enhanced neuro-inflammatory response in the hippocampus but not in the cerebellum. Consequently, mice with colitis displayed alterations in adult hippocampal neurogenesis but not changes in the rate of MB tumorigenesis, suggesting the existence of regional-specific mechanisms by which chronic intestinal inflammation affects the brain. Cb: Cerebellum; Dcx: doublecortin; DG: dentate gyrus; DSS: dextran sulfate sodium; H: hippocampus; MB: medulloblastoma; NeuN: neuronal nuclear protein; RGL: radial glia-like; Sox2: SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 2; UN: untreated. Created with BioRender.com and adapted from BioRender templates (2020) https://app.biorender.com/biorender-templates.