IL-22 ameliorates intestinal inflammation in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis
J. Clin. Invest. Ken Sugimoto, et al. 118:534 doi:10.1172/JCI33194 [Go to this article.]

Figure 3
Rapid attenuation of colitis by local IL-22 gene delivery. (A and B) Complexes of IL-22 secretion or mock vector with DOTAP/enhancer reagent were microinjected into the proximal part of colon of TCRαKO mice with colitis. Expressions of IL-22 in the noninjected distal part and injected proximal part are shown in A. Results represent the averages ± SEM (n = 6–7). **P < 0.005. Protein lysates from the CECs of the proximal part of colon with mock or IL-22 gene delivery were subjected to immunoblot for evaluation of STAT3 activation (B). (C–H) Laparotomy was carried out on anesthetized TCRαKO mice (24 weeks of age) to confirm the presence of severe colitis as indicated by a marked enlargement of colonic diameter (before injection). Local gene delivery of IL-22 or mock vector into the proximal part (just below the ileocecal junction) was performed in selected TCRαKO mice (n = 7 each group) that had severe colitis. Mice were sacrificed 2 weeks after microinjection. IL-22 gene delivery attenuated the inflammation at the injection sites; colonic diameter at the injection sites was markedly reduced in TCRαKO mice that received IL-22 (C, right panels) but not mock (C, left panels) vector delivery. Results are summarized in D. Colonic thickness (E) and disease score (F), which were evaluated by histological examination (n = 6–7), are shown. Histology of the proximal colon where gene delivery with mock (left panel) or IL-22 vector (right panel) was received are shown in G. Original magnification, ×10. (H) Percentages of goblet cells among total epithelial cells within the colon where mock (n = 6) or IL-22 (n = 6) vector delivery were received are shown. *P < 0.001.