CPE deficiency aggravates experimental chronic colitis.

<p>(A) Calculation of the disease activity index (DAI) by determining clinical parameters of inflammation (body weight development, stool consistency, rectal bleeding) through 30 days of experimental colitis. n = 9 (<i>cpe</i>^+/+), n = 8 (<i>cpe</i>^−/−). (B-C) Determination of macroscopic colitis severity via mouse endoscopy. Representative endoluminal pictures of the distal colon on day 30 of experimental colitis (B) and calculation of the murine endoscopic index of colitis severity (MEICS) by analyzing mucosal morphology, stool consistency and shape of the vascular pattern via mouse endoscopy (C). n = 9 (<i>cpe</i>^+/+), n = 8 (<i>cpe</i>^−/−). (D–E) Determination of microscopic colitis severity via histology. Representative histological pictures of the distal colon on day 30 of experimental colitis (D) and calculation of the histology score by analyzing mucosal architecture and infiltration of immune cells (E). n = 8 per genotype. (F) Determination of expression level of TNF-α, IL-6 and KC in colonic punch biopsies by real time RT-PCR after 30 days of experimental colitis and at baseline. n = 8 per genotype. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 by t-test.