ELISA analysis of intestinal mucosal TNF-α content among the three groups.

<p>Data are shown as means ± SD of the three groups, <i>*P < 0.01</i> vs. MSC group; # <i>P <0.05</i> vs. Sham group, values are evaluated by one-way ANOVA test.</p

Real-Time PCR analysis of PCNA expression in the intestinal mucosa.

<p>Data are means ± SD of each group at different time point and expressed as the ratio of original value mRNA of PCNA to its internal control mRNA of GAPDH. S: sham group; C: control (saline) group; M: MSCs group. 4d and 7d represent 4 days and 7 days postoperatively. ** <i>P<0.01</i>, <i>* P<0.05</i>, compared with control (saline) group, by one-way ANOVA test.</p

Mucosal NF-κB expression in each group at 4 and 7 days after MSCs administered.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Semiquantitative assessment of bands for NF-κB and its internal control protein. (<b>B</b>) Values of the NF-κB band performed densitometrically using the software Quantity One. Each bar represents the mean ± SD of the different groups; values were compared by one-way ANOVA test, <i>**: P<0.01</i>, <i>*: P<0.05</i>. S: sham group; C: control (saline) group; M: MSCs group. 4d and 7d represent 4 days and 7 days postoperatively.</p

Expression of pERK1/2 in intestinal mucosa at 4 and 7 days after MSCs transplantation.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Bands of the expression of pERK1/2 and its own tERk1/2 protein were detected by western blot. (<b>B</b>) The ratio value of pERK1/2 to its own tERK1/2 of the bands which was evaluated densitometrically using the software Quantity One for the three groups at different time points. Each bar represents mean ± SD of the ratio value in every group. S: sham group; C: control (saline) group; M: MSCs group. 4d and 7d represent 4 days and 7 days postoperatively. *<i>: P<0.05</i>, compared with control (saline) group, by one-way ANOVA test.</p

MSCs homing photograph (40×).

<p>After cell transplantation, engrafted cells were detected by Y chromosome <i>in </i><i>situ</i> hybridization at 1, 4, 7, and 10 days (the green fluorenscent point represents positive donor derived cells), which corresponded to graphs A, B, C, and D respectively. Most of the homed cells were located at mucosal lamina propria, and the amounts of engrafted cells were more at 4 and 7days than 1 and 10 days postoperatively.</p

Comparison of bacterial richness and diversity among Control, Probiotics, and Microbes.

<p>Control mice were raised in cages with sterilized pelletized cardboard bedding, probiotics mice were raised in cages sterilized pelletized cardboard bedding added with probiotics, and intestinal microbes mice were raised in cages added with goat intestinal microbes. (A) Rarefaction curves showing unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) (a box graph at the rarefied sequence number). (B) Chao1 estimators. (C) Phylogenetic diversity (PD). (D) Shannon index. (n = 8; * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, based on a two-tailed least significant difference test).</p

Effects of exposure to different concentrations of microbes.

<p>(A) Total serum IgE levels; (B) Dermatitis scores of rostral back and ear in BALB/c mice treated with DNFB. Serum absorbance in each group was averaged and each bar represents mean ± SEM (n = 10; *<i>p <</i> 0.05, **<i>p <</i> 0.01, based on a two-tailed least significant difference test).</p

Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of unweighted and weighted UniFrac distances.

<p>These are for the fecal microbiota of the three experimental mice: control, probiotics, and intestinal microbes. Analysis was based on the Illumina bacterial 16S rRNA gene dataset (V4 region).</p

Comparison of OTU-levels in the gut microbiota between the control, probiotics, and intestinal microbes groups.

<p>(n = 8; *<i>p <</i> 0.05, **<i>p <</i> 0.01, based on a two-tailed least significant difference test).</p

Correlation between microbial richness/diversity and dermatitis severity indices and other variables.

<p>Correlation between microbial richness/diversity and dermatitis severity indices and other variables.</p