Figure 4. Nod2−/− mice exhibit increased permeability but decreased inflammation vs. Nod2+/+ mice upon intra-rectal ethanol administration.

A. Colonic permeability in Nod2−/− and Nod2+/+ mice after administration of intrarectal 50% ethanol measured by serum FITC-dextran uptake (See Methods); data represent mean ±SE derived from two different experiments in which three mice/group were evaluated *=P<0.05 day 1 vs untreated; B. Mouse body weight changes after intra-rectal ethanol administration; each point represents mean±SE of daily weights expressed as percentage of day 0 weight; data represent pooled values derived from three different experiments in which five mice/group was studied. * p<0.01 Nod2−/− vs. Nod2 +/+; C. Representative microscopic appearance of colons of mice administered ethanol and sacrificed at the time-points shown ; H&E staining 40× magnification. Nod2−/− and Nod2+/+ untreated and day 3: normal colonic architecture/patterns. Nod2+/+ day2: Presence of mild submucosal edema and mild inflammatory infiltration. Nod2−/− day 2: normal colonic architecture/pattern; D: In vivo IL-12p70 production after 50% ethanol administration. Each point represents mean± SE of pooled values derived from two experiments in which 5 mice/group were evaluated at each time point; * p<0.05 Nod2+/+ day1 vs. untreated mice. **: p<0.05 Nod2−/− vs. Nod2+/+ untreated mice. E: IFN-γ tissue content at different days after ethanol administration. Each point represents mean± SE as described in D;* p<0.05 Nod2+/+ day1 vs. untreated. Data were tested for statistical significance using Student’s t test.