Figure 1.

Clinical course and pathology of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis in ceramide synthase 5 (CerS5)-wt and CerS5-knockout (ko) mice. Application of 2% DSS in the drinking water for 6 days reduced body weight (A) and increased disease score (B) of wt and CerS5-ko mice over time. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated with the trapezoidal rule. (C) Colon length was significantly reduced in CerS5-wt and CerS5-ko mice after DSS treatment in comparison to control (Ctrl) mice. (D) Bioluminescence imaging of inflammation with an IVIS Lumina Spectrum. At day 10 of DSS treatment, colitis was detected in living animals by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 200 mg/kg inflammation probe and subsequent detection of bioluminescence in the abdomen of CerS5-wt and CerS5-ko mice. The total luminescent counts in the abdominal regions of interest were quantified. (E) Sections of colon rolls, 10 μm in size, were stained with hematoxylin/eosin, and images were taken with a Keyence BZ-9000 microscope. Inflamed colon areas (yellow marked area in the colon rolls) were sized and related to the whole colon length (black marked area) (wt DSS group n = 9; ko DSS group n = 4). Data are mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM) of n = 8/9 animals, for bioluminescence imaging n = 3 animals in each group. Statistical analysis was performed by unpaired t-test (B–E) or one-way ANOVA (C); p * < 0.05, p ** < 0.01.