Fig. 3.

Early IL-23 administration rescues protective immunity in C. rodentium-infected Il1rl2^−/− mice. (A) Experimental schematic of C. rodentium infection (5 to 6 × 10⁹ CFU) by gastric gavage into Il1rl2^+/+ and Il1rl2^−/− mice, in the presence or absence of IL-23. (B) Serial whole-body imaging of infected mice at indicated time points. Images are representative of two independent experiments with at least five mice/group. (C–E) (C) Survival rate; (D) average body weight change; and (E) bacterial shedding in feces of infected mice at indicated time points. (F and G) (F) The H&E staining and histology scoring of (G) colon sections from infected mice as in A are shown. (H) IL-22 protein expression in the colon at 10 days post C. rodentium infection from Il1rl2^+/+ and Il1rl2^−/− mice. (I) Colonic lamina propria cells of C. rodentium-infected mice at day 4 p.i. were isolated and analyzed by FACS for expression of intracellular IL-22 by Thy1⁺RORγt⁺ gated cells. (J) FACS frequency data of Thy1⁺RORγt⁺IL-22⁺ gated cells of infected mice generated as in I. (K–M) (K) Claudin-2, (L) antimicrobial peptides, and (M) Mucin-2 mRNA expression in colon from infected mice at day 4 p.i. (N) Serial whole-body imaging of C. rodentium-infected Il1rl2^−/− mice in the presence or absence of IL-23 and neutralization antibodies, αCD90 or αCD4 as indicated. Images are representative of two independent experiments. (O–P) (O) Survival rate; (P) average body weight changes; and (Q) bacterial shedding in feces of infected mice as in N at indicated time points. (R) IL-22 protein determined by ELISA of colon of infected mice as in N at indicated time points. Data are representative of three independent experiments with five mice per group. All data are presented as mean ± SEM (one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparison test. *P < 0.5; **P < 0.05; ****P < 0.0001, ns, not significant).