Figure 5.

Effects of probiotics on the expression of protein kinase C in the mucosa of the terminal ileum. A: Probiotics effects on biliary obstruction-induced expression of protein kinase C (PKC) as determined by immunohistochemistry. Images shown are representative of at least three regions observed on the same slide; B: Statistical evaluation of effects of addition of probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum) on the expression of PKC in the intestinal mucosal epithelium. Data in the bar graph represent mean ± SD of the three separate experiments. ^aP < 0.05 Group I vs Group II; ^cP < 0.05Group II vs Group III; ^eP < 0.05 Group IV vs Group V. Group I : Sham-operation; Group II: Bile duct ligation (BDL); Group III: BDL + Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum); Group IV: BDL + internal biliary drainage (IBD); Group V = BDL + IBD + L. plantarum.