TABLE 3.
Median apoptotic indices in the ileum and ileal PP after infection with REPEC O103 as evaluated by the TUNEL assay and by apoptotic morphology (H&E staining)a
| Intestinal tissue | Median (range) apoptotic index (%)
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 0 | Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | |
| Tips of ileal absorptive villi | 3.6 (1.6–16.8), 3.8 (1.5–9.4) | 3 (2.1–6.3), 4.6 (3.2–5) | 3.8 (3–4), 3.4 (2.5–3.8) | 2.4 (0.9–5), 1.1 (0.8–3.2)b |
| Ileal crypts | 0.4 (0.3–2.6), 0.5 (0.2–1.8) | 0.6 (0.2–1.5), 0.9 (0.3–1.8) | 1.8 (1–2), 1.4 (1–1.5) | 0.8 (0.3–2.5), 0.7 (0.5–2.2) |
| Tips of PP absorptive villi | 3.8 (2.1–8.1), 3.8 (2–5.8) | 2.5 (0.3–3.6), 2.7 (0.4–3) | 4.6 (4.6–4.7), 3.5 (2.3–4.2) | 4.3 (1.8–5.6), 3.6 (1.8–5.9) |
| PP domed villi | 8.1 (2.7–13.7), 8.1 (5.2–14) | 5.8 (5–16.5), 6.3 (5.2–14.5) | 9.2 (9–9.4), 8.7 (6.4–9.4) | 3.6 (1.3–11), 3.5 (2.4–8.6) |
| PP germinal center | 11 (3.5–44), 14.7 (6–31.2) | 20 (6.2–24), 9.8 (6–19) | 10.5 (2–19), 4.5 (3.5–19.8) | 3.1 (1.2–8.1),b 6.6 (2.6–3.3) |
a
The values determined by the TUNEL assay are followed by those determined by H&E staining. A total of 10 randomly selected fields was assessed at each intestinal site. Results for control rabbits (group 0) and rabbits with mild (group 1), moderate (group 2), or severe (group 3) disease symptoms after experimental infection are shown.
b
Significantly different (P < 0.05) from value for the noninfected control group as calculated by the Mann-Whitney U test.