Impaired Resolution of Inflammation in the Endoglin Heterozygous Mouse Model of Chronic Colitis
Figure 2
Reduced active TGF-β1 levels and altered expression of factors that regulate angiogenesis and resolution in Eng +/− mice undergoing persistent inflammation. (a) Endogenously active (without acid treatment) and total (with acid treatment) TGF-β1 levels were measured by ELISA in colonic tissue of Eng +/+ and Eng +/− mice at days 0 and 18–23 ( mice for day 0 and 9-10 mice for days 18–23). * versus corresponding day 0, versus corresponding Eng +/+ group. (b) The mRNA expression profile of several angiogenic and TGF-β pathway-related genes was assessed in colons of Eng +/+ and Eng +/− mice during the resolution phase. The results are expressed as a fold-change (Eng +/− over Eng +/+ mice) and only significantly () altered genes with a 2-fold or greater change are shown ( mice for Eng +/+ group and 5 for the Eng +/− group; BMP endothelial cell precursor-derived regulator (Bmper), follistatin (Fst), and thrombospondin-1 (Tsp-1)). (c) Representative immunoblot and densitometric analysis of TSP-1 expression, normalized to β-actin, in colons of Eng +/+ and Eng +/− mice at days 18–23 of colitis. TSP-1 levels were nondetectable at days 0 and 7–9 ( mice for Eng +/+ group and 5 for the Eng +/− group). ‡ versus Eng +/+ mice. Results represent mean ± SEM.
