Table 5.

Selected gene expression, and cytokine and prostaglandin levels in distal colon sections of Wistar rats fed fish oil (FO), fish peptides (FP) or a combination (FO + FP) for 4 weeks, and treated with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) during the last week of the experiment^†

(Median values and ranges)

	Control		DSS		DSS + FO		DSS + FP		DSS + FO + FP
	Median	Range	Median	Range	Median	Range	Median	Range	Median	Range
Gene
Nos2	1·00	0·33–20·4	58·5**a	0·95–251					272b	99·8–442
Cytokine
KC/GRO	0·70	0·38–1·12	5·03**	0·47–180	12·0a	5·07–124	3·20b	1·13–64·6
Prostaglandins
PGE3	0	0–0	0a	0–0·73	13·8b	2·50–34·6	1·53a,c	0–17·2	35·9c	10·2–111
PGD2	96·2	27·5–507	102a	20·8–272	79·3a	41·4–156			210b	51·9–343

Nos2, inducible nitric oxide synthase 2; KC, keratinocyte chemoattractant; GRO, growth-regulated oncogene.

^a,b,c Median values for the DSS groups with unlike superscript letters were significantly different (P < 0·05 (Kruskal–Wallis test/Mann–Whitney post hoc test) except KC/GRO: P = 0·07 (Kruskall–Wallis test)).

** Median value was significantly different from that of the control treatment (P < 0·01; Mann–Whitney rank test).

^†Nos2 expression values were normalised against an endogenous control, and variables are given as medians relative to control (n 7–8). Cytokine and prostaglandin levels (μg/kg wet tissue) are given as medians (n 8–10).