Fig. 5

IL-1β-primed ERCs reduced macrophage infiltration and inflammatory cytokine expressions in colons. Intra-colon macrophage infiltration was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. Specifically, we stained iNOS for detecting M1 cell infiltration, and CD206 for measuring M2 cell infiltration. The represent IHC images of mouse colons and quantitive data for cell counts of each group are shown in A (× 200) and B, respectively. The concentrations of inflammatory cytokine productions in colonic tissues were determined by ELISA kit and the relative mRNA expression changes were performed by real-time PCR. IFN-γ (C, D), IL-17 (E, F), TNF-α (G, H), IL-6 (I, J), IL-4 (K, L), and IL-10 (M, N) were shown, respectively, which are majorly secreted by Th1, Th2, Th17 cells, or CD206⁺ macrophages, and closely associated with the development of UC. Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation, and p values were calculated by using one-way ANOVA followed by the least significant difference (LSD) test (n = 6, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001)