<i>L</i>. <i>murinus</i> reduces molecular markers and intestinal barrier damage of NEC.

<p>Localization of active caspase-1 (green, A), myeloperoxidase-positive cells (green, B), and Cox-2 (green, C) in small intestine sections of 4 day old animals inoculated with <i>C</i>. <i>muytjensii</i> (Cm) at 10⁶ cfu at the second feeding, without or with pre-inoculation with <i>L</i>. <i>murinus</i> HF12 at 10⁸ cfu at the first feeding. Yellow/orange/brown in (A) is non-specific autofluorescence; blue in (C) are DAPI-stained nuclei. Each image is representative of at least 3 animals. Bar = 100 μm. D, average numbers of Mpo-positive cells in random 200x200 μm squares (n = 16 in each group). E, relative levels of mucosal COX-2 mRNA (n = 4 in each group). F, loads of <i>C</i>. <i>muytjensii</i> per mg wet weight aseptically excised spleen tissue (n = 10 in each group). Average intestinal loads of <i>C</i>. <i>muytjensii</i> in the two groups were not significantly different (8.2±1.2 vs. 7.6±2.0 x 10⁵ cfu/ml, p = 0.8). *, significant differences (p<0.01, unpaired <i>t</i> test).