Figure 3.

The translocation of bacteria-free DNA from the gut into the blood circulation in a non-surgical intestinal tight-junction injury model using dextran sulfate solution (DSS)-induced mucositis. Characteristics of mice with DSS or regular drinking water (Water) with oral gavage by bacterial lysate or phosphate buffer solution (PBS) started on days 5–7 of the experiments, as indicated by serum bacteria-free DNA (A), gut-barrier defect (FITC-dextran) (B), serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (C), serum pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) (D,E) and colon injury score with representative histological pictures on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining (F,G) are demonstrated (n = 6–8/group). The colon pathology of control PBS gavage with regular drinking water (PBS–water) is not demonstrated due to the similarity with control bacterial lysate gavage with water (lysate–water). Arrows indicate inflammatory cell infiltration in DSS-induced intestinal injury. *, p < 0.05 between the indicated groups; the difference between groups was determined by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s analysis.