Alleviated mucosal and neuronal damage in a rat model of Crohn’s disease

Figure 4 Relative mRNA expression of heme oxygenase-1 compared to the controls (n = 12) (C) in the inflamed segment (I) and the adjacent proximal (P) and distal (D) colonic segments four (n = 13) and eight (n = 14) days after TNBS treatments. Irrespectively of the number of treatments (1 × TNBS, 2 × TNBS, 3 × TNBS), the HO-1 expression was always marked on day four in the I segments and a more limited expression was also detected in the P but not in the D colonic segments. After the first and second TNBS administrations the rate of HO-1 gene expression decreased, but never returned to baseline level up to day eight post-induction. Nevertheless, after the third TNBS treatment the high level of HO-1 expression was not merely sustained: a pronounced further increase was demonstrated until day eight post-induction. Data are expressed as means ± SD. TNBS: 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid; HO-1: Heme oxygenase-1.