Oral Probiotic VSL#3 Prevents Autoimmune Diabetes by Modulating Microbiota and Promoting Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase-Enriched Tolerogenic Intestinal Environment

Figure 4

VSL#3 inhibits inflammation by inhibiting effector Th1/Th17 cell differentiation in the gut mucosa. (a) Percentages of different intestinal APC subsets in the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum), large intestine (colon), and MLN (mesenteric lymph nodes) of 12-week-old NOD mice that were either untreated or treated with VSL#3 or VSL#3 + RA. Treatments were initiated at 4 weeks of age. (b) The cytokine secretion profile of the intestinal DCs from the gut mucosa of the three groups of NOD mice. CD11c⁺ DCs were purified by magnetic selection and stimulated for 20 hours with LPS (1 μg/mL). Supernatants were collected and analyzed for cytokine content. The data are expressed as the mean ± SEM of triplicate experiments. (c) The percentages of Th1 cells, Th17 cells (CD4⁺CD3⁺IL-17A⁺), and FoxP3⁺ Treg cells (CD4⁺CD25⁺FoxP3⁺) were measured by intracellular staining and FACS analysis and expressed as the mean ± SEM. (d) The data are expressed as Teff (Th1 + Th17)/Treg cell ratios. ; ; by Student’s -test.