Figure 1. Increased small intestinal permeability precedes colonic disease. (A) small intestinal permeability measurements from 4 to 17 weeks in interleukin 10 gene-deficient (IL10−/−) mice (closed circles) and Sv/Ev 129 wild-type mice (open circles) show a marked difference between these animal models very early in age. (n = 10–13 at each time point). (B) Concentration of interferon γ (IFNγ) in the small intestine of IL10−/− (closed circles) and wild-type mice (open circles) at 4, 8 and 17 weeks of age. (C) Concentration of tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) in the small intestine of IL10−/− (closed circles) and wild-type mice (open circles) at 4, 8 and 17 weeks of age. For both cytokines, a significant difference was observed between the IL10−/− and wild-type mice only at 17 weeks. (p<0.001; n = 4–7).
