Fig. 5: Suppression of STAT3 alleviates LCFAs-induced exacerbated inflammation and intestinal barrier damage in experimental colitis.
A STAT3fl/fl and STAT3ΔIEC mice (n = 6) received ND, HPAD, and HSAD for 4 weeks, followed by continuous administration of 3% DSS in drinking water for 7 days; B Changes in mouse body weight from the first day of DSS intervention; C Changes in DAI in mice; D Representative colon morphology and length quantification; E Representative images of colon H&E staining. Mucosal erosions, ulceration, and mucosal atrophy (red arrows), and swollen submucosa with inflammatory cell infiltration (red star). Improvement noted in the loss of crypts (blue arrows), and mitigation of inflammatory cell infiltration (blue star); F Colonic tissue AB-PAS staining and IHC staining of MUC-2; G TUNEL staining; H Scanning electron microscopy images of mouse colonic tissue sections, magnifying tight junctions; I Levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in colonic tissues (n = 6); J Western blotting of colonic tissues; K Representative images of colonic tissue IF staining for ZO-1; L Colonic tissue IHC staining for ZO-1; M Colonic tissue IF staining for p-STAT3; N Colonic tissue IHC staining for p-STAT3. NCM460 cells were transfected with siSTAT3 or siNC and treated with LPS-PA, LPS-SA, or LPS-BSA for 24 h; O Results of western blotting; P IF staining of cells for ZO-1. Data were expressed as the mean ± SD. P values were determined using one-way or two-way ANOVA test.; ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05.
