Recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying thymosin β4 suppresses experimental colitis in mice

Figure 2 Adeno-associated virus carrying thymosin β₄ ameliorated dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice. A: Dynamic changes in DAI [the asterisk indicates ^aP < 0.05 vs PBS/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) or adeno-associated virus (AAV)-LacZ/DSS group]; B and C: AAV-thymosin β₄ (Tβ₄) improved DSS-induced colonic lesions including mucosal edema, hyperemia, and ulceration, resulting in a significantly decreased macroscopic score; D and E: Histological examination (HE staining, magnification × 200) revealed the mice in AAV-Tβ₄/DSS group exhibited alleviated colonic lesions such as destruction of mucosal crypts, loss of epithelial cells, deep ulcerations, and inflammatory cell infiltration, leading to a significantly decreased histological score compared with the mice in the other two DSS groups. Error bars indicate the SD. Scale bars = 50 μm. DAI: Disease activity index.