Fig. 5.

D3-5 treatment enhances mucin production and goblet cell mass in the gut of older obese mice. a Real-time PCR results indicated that the expression of mucin 2 (Muc2) mRNA was significantly higher in the different regions of the intestine of D3-5 fed older mice compared to control mice. b, c Expression [measured by Western blotting in colon (b)] and production [measured using ELISA in feces (c)] of mucin was significantly higher in older obese mice fed with D3-5 compared to controls. d, e AB/PAS staining depicting more intestinal goblet cell mass in ileum (d) and their quantitative numbers (e) was significant in D3-5 fed older obese mouse gut compared to their controls. f–j Transplantation of fecal microbiome from older mice fed with D3-5 and their controls to gut-cleansed recipient mice also showed enhanced expression of Muc2 mRNA (f) and protein (g), marginal increase in fecal mucin (h), and goblet cell mass numbers (i, j). Real-time PCR reaction was performed in triplicates and repeated at least two to three times. Values are mean of n = 5–8 mice per group ± SEM (error bars). Values with *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001 are statistically significant. ns: not significant