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. 2021 Oct 12;11:20231. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99602-4

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Enterococcus phage colonization potentially enforces colonic barrier function. The role of phiEG37k in gut homeostasis and inflammation was explored by analyzing the ASF-mice colonized with G0 or G2. (a) Immunohistochemical analysis for MUC2 protein in the colonic tissue from ASF-mice colonized with G0 or G2 (n = 3 per each group). Representative images of lower colons from mice colonized with G0 or G2 (left panel). The percentage of MUC2-stained area in mucosal area (right panels) was quantitated by ImageJ software. Scale bars indicate 500 µm in left panels and 100 µm in right panels. (b–d) 2.5% of DSS was administered for 7 days to G0- or G2-colonized mice for colitis induction (n = 4–7 per each group). Two independent experiments were performed. (b) Body weight change during DSS colitis (n = 5 for G0, n = 4 for G2). (c) Colon length on day 9 post-administration with DSS is shown. (d) Representative HE stained colonic tissue (left panels) and histology scores of colitis (right panel) from mice described in (b). Scale bars indicate 500 µm. Two-tailed unpaired t-test P values are presented. ns; not significant. n = 3 in (a). n = 4–5 in (c) and (d).