Fig 2. Notch dimerization-deficient mice are sensitized to DSS-induced colitis.

A. All N1^RA/RA; N2^RA/RA mice exposed to 2.5% DSS treatment had to be euthanized due to severe weight loss before day 7. B. Daily weight measurements of WT (blue) or mutant (red) mice treated with alternate cycles of 1% DSS (gray sections) or no DSS (white sections). C. Survival curve of 1% DSS-treated mice. Three of 4 mutant mice had to be euthanized due to severe weight loss by the fourth cycle. D. Hematoxylin-eosin staining of colonic tissue from DSS-treated mice. Dashed black boxes are enlarged below. Yellow dashed box showed a section with crypts in an otherwise injured colon in 1% DSS-treated N1^RA/RA; N2^RA/RA mice. E. Ki67 staining of untreated mice with the indicated genotypes, crypt regions (Ki67+) are boxed. F. Increased proliferation competence in colon of DSS-treated WT mice (Krt8/18+, Ki67+ staining outside the box). G. Decreased proliferation competence in colon of N1^RA/RA; N2^RA/RA mice exposed to 4 rounds of 1% DSS. (H) qPCR on RNA extracted from distal colon of N1^RA/RA; N2^RA/RA and WT mice treated for 11 days with 1% DSS; n = 3. (*p < 0.05), S1 Data for raw data. DSS, dextran sulfate sodium; H/E, hematoxylin/eosin stain; N1^RA/RA; N2^RA/RA, Notch1 Arg¹⁹⁷⁴Ala Notch2 Arg¹⁹³⁴Ala homozygous qPCR, quantitative polymerase chain reaction; WT, wild-type.