Triple color FISH identifies mucosal bacteria in the adherent mucus compartment of dogs with IBD following prednisone and dietary therapy.

Panels A-C = ileal tissues and panels D-F = colonic tissues. Panel A = probe Cy3-Faecali698; Panel B = probe Cy3-Ebac; Panel C = probe Cy3- Strc493; Panel D = probe Cy3-Bif164; Panel E = Cy3-Ebac; Panel F = probe FITC-Eub338. All other bacteria that hybridize exclusively with the universal probe (Eub338-FITC) appear green. DAPI-stained intestinal mucosa with goblet cells appears blue. All images at 600x magnification.</p

Clinical characteristics of study animals.

Clinical characteristics of study animals.</p

Total bacteria via FISH (across all mucosal compartments).

Total bacteria via FISH (across all mucosal compartments).</p

Immunohistochemical expression of AJPs in colonic biopsies of dogs with IBD after prednisone and dietary therapy.

Protein expression was defined on the basis of cell number and staining intensity of AJPs within the mucosa. Left panel = Claudin-2; center panel = E-cadherin; right panel = occludin. See Table 3 for AJP comparisons between dog cohorts.</p

Number of intestinal epithelial cells expressing AJPs.

Number of intestinal epithelial cells expressing AJPs.</p

FISH probe sequences.

FISH probe sequences.</p

Bacteria present via FISH in adherent mucus compartment.

Bacteria present via FISH in adherent mucus compartment.</p

Box plots showing total mucosal microbiota and microbiota in adherent mucus compartment of dogs with IBD before and after prednisone and dietary therapy.

Differences (P<0.05) in the numbers of bacteria between dog groups are indicated by red asterisk.</p