Fig. 3.

The K8 loss induced inflammation phenotype is more pronounced in mice over 250 days old. K8^flox/flox and K8^flox/flox; Villin-Cre male and female mice over 250 days old were analyzed for body weight, dots representing a single mouse (A), colon length (B), average crypt length (C), the number of lymphoid cell aggregates in longitudinal colon cuts (D) and the mean area of lymphoid aggregates (E). F A representative colon section of an older K8^flox/flox; Villin-Cre mouse in which black arrows show lymphoid aggregates and green arrows epithelial erosion. Scale bar 200 µm. G The circulating concentrations of serum cytokines IFNχ, IL-1β, TNFα, IL-5, IL-6, IL-25, CCL-2 IL-22, and IL-18 of > 250 days old mice measured using Luminex immunoassay. Boxes extend from the 25 to 75th percentiles and the line represents the median expression value, whiskers represent min and max values and individual mice values are represented as dots. P values and asterisks (*P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01) represent statistical difference, calculated using Student’s t test. n = 3–5