Figure 3. Effects of leukotrienes on intestinal inflammation and damage caused by CDI.

Mice were infected with VPI 10463 (10² spores) or mock-infected and cecum was harvested after 36 hours for H&E stain. Representative images of tissue sections from controls (uninfected and infected mice) and leukotriene-ablated (MK886 treated or 5-LO^−/−) mice are depicted (A). Infected mice treated with 10 mg/kg of the leukotriene inhibitor MK886 (administered 1 hour before and 24 hour after infection) or vehicle had similar scoring for edema (B), neutrophilic inflammation (C) and epithelial damage (D). Genetic abrogation of leukotriene synthesis in 5-LO^−/− mice resulted in no difference in edema (E), neutrophilic inflammation (F) and epithelial damage scoring (G) in cecum from infected mice. Mann-Whitney U post hoc test was used to access significant differences. Histological images are of hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. Size bars indicate 100 μm and arrows indicate submucosal edema accompanied by neutrophilic inflammation.