Figure 4.

Intestinal colonization of GF and SPF mice by select RG strains induces enhanced intestinal permeability. (A) Neonatal intestinal colonization of the litters of GF mice by RG strains, RG2 and S107-48 but not the RG1 strain, induces increased intestinal permeability when tested by the FITC-dextran challenge assay in mice at 10-14 weeks of age. (B) Higher levels of intestinal permeability were found in RG2 and S107-48 strain colonized females than male littermates. (C) Litters of SPF mice that were colonized by the RG strains, RG2 and S107-48, displayed increased intestinal permeability. Due to heterogeneity in responses, the group colonized by the S47-48 RG strain did not attain significance. (D) Female mice colonized with RG2 and S107-48 displayed significantly greater levels of intestinal permeability than male mice or non-colonized control mice. Results indicate mean ± SEM (n= 3- 6 mice per group). In some cases mice were lost to unwitnessed deaths. Comparisons by unpaired t test, p values shown. Control received sham instillations with sterile PBS.