Figure 7.
Inflammatory cytokines in DSS-induced colitis and loss of TJ barrier function. A: The qPCR analysis of DSS colitis tissue showed decreased mRNA expression of TGF-β and markedly increased expression of mRNA of TNF-α and IL-1β in ClC-2−/− DSS colon verses WT DSS colon (a,b, and c indicates significant difference compared to WT control, p < 0.01, n=4). The mRNA expression of respective cytokines was normalized to mRNA expression of GAPDH. B: Treatment of Caco-2 cells with IL-1β and TNF-α (both 10ng/ml) reduced the TER over a period of 48 hours. The reduction in the TER with either IL-1β or TNF-α was significantly higher in ClC-2 shRNA cells compared to control scrambled shRNA cells (*p < 0.01 vs. control shRNA, n=6).