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

Figure 5 Adeno-associated virus carrying thymosin β₄ alleviated dextran sulfate sodium- and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced epithelial cell apoptosis in the colonic mucosa. TUNEL staining showed that intracolonic adeno-associated virus (AAV)-thymosin β₄ (Tβ₄) prevented the colonic mucosal epithelia from undergoing apoptosis and thus led to decreased apoptotic indexes (AIs) in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)- (A and B) and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced (C and D) colitis in mice. The insets indicate the TUNEL-positive nuclear staining. Error bars indicate the SD. Scale bar: 50 μm and 25 μm (insets).