FIGURE 5.

P40 peptide vaccine treatment improves clinical score and colonic inflammation in established DSS-induced chronic colitis. Mice were given 4% DSS drinking water for 7 days followed by 7 days of regular water for 4 cycles to induce chronic colitis. After the first DSS treatment, on day 10 mice were subcutaneously injected with p40 peptide vaccine, carrier, or saline 3 times at a 2-week interval (n = 16/group). Mice were sacrificed 10 days after the last DSS drinking water. A, Protocol. B, Clinical score. C, Representative figures of H&E staining and Masson’s trichrome staining. D, Colon inflammatory score (H&E staining). E, Soluble collagen production in colon tissue. F, The expression levels of cytokines in colon tissue.