FIG 1.

C. difficile TcdA injection enhances TGF-β1 and TGFRII expression in ileal loop epithelium. TcdA (10 μg/loop) increased TβRII and TGF-β1 labeling intensity (B and E) compared to that in the control group (PBS at 0.1 ml/loop) (A and D) and enhanced TGFRII and TGF-β1 mRNA expression in ileal loop tissue compared to that in the control (C and F). Total and active TGF-β1 protein levels were also increased in the presence of TcdA in ileum loop tissue (G). *, P < 0.05, and ***, P < 0.001, compared to the value for the control (Student's t test). Scale bar: 100 μm.