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. 2012 Feb 21;7(2):e31238. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031238

Figure 3. VSL#3 and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) ameliorate colonic histopathology of PPAR γ-expressing but not macrophage-specific PPAR γ-null mice.

Figure 3

Representative photomicrographs of colons from PPAR γ-expressing (PPAR γ flfl Cre−, top panels A–C) and macrophage-specific PPAR γ null (PPAR γ flfl Cre+, bottom panels D–F) control untreated (A&D), CLA-treated (B&E), and VSL#3-treated (C&F) mice. The colonic sections were excised on day 7 of DSS challenge, stored in formalin, sectioned and stained with hematoxylin and eosin staining. Panels B and C, corresponding to PPAR γ-expressing mice treated with CLA and VSL#3, show improved colitis. The beneficial effects of CLA and VSL#3 are abrogated in colons from mice conditionally deficient in macrophage PPAR γ (E&F). Arrows indicate leukocytic infiltration, asterisks indicate edema, filled arrowheads indicate crypt hyperplasia, open arrowheads indicate epithelial erosion and ulceration, and MT denotes mucosa thickenning. Original magnification at 100×.