Adeno-associated virus mediated delivery of Tregitope 167 ameliorates experimental colitis

Figure 2 Adeno associated virus serotype 5 mediated delivery of regulatory T-cell epitope 167 ameliorates trinitrobenzene sulfonate induced colitis development over time. Mice were injected intravenously with either phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or adeno associated virus (AAV) 5 [cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter T-cell epitopes (Tregitope) 167]. 10 d after AAV-mediated Tregitope delivery, acute colitis was initiated by intra-rectal administration of 1.5 mg trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS) in 40% ethanol followed by a second TNBS treatment (0.75 mg in 20% ethanol) 8 d later. Control groups consisted of mice not treated by TNBS (healthy control group) and mice treated by TNBS only (diseased control group). Disease progression was assessed by changes in daily body weight. Animals were withdrawn from the study when their weight loss was > 25% of their original body weight. Overall for the healthy controls, n = 9; adeno associated virus (AAV) 5 (CMV-Tregitope 167) treated, n = 7; diseased controls, n = 6, were included in the analysis. The data were analyzed using a 1 way analysis of variance, followed by Dunn’s post hoc test for multiple comparisons. Data are presented as mean ± SE of all the mice. ^bP value < 0.01 between PBS (diseased control group) and both AAV5 (CMV-Tregitope 167) treated and the healthy control group.