Alkaline sphingomyelinase deficiency impairs intestinal mucosal barrier integrity and reduces antioxidant capacity in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis

Figure 6 Changes in the expression of colonic nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and antioxidant enzymes after dextran sulfate sodium induction. The mice were given normal drinking water before dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) treatment, and the mice were then given 3% DSS water for 4 d. A and B: Western blot analysis of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was performed on homogenates of colonic mucosa tissues before and after DSS induction; C: Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the mRNA levels of Nrf2 and its target antioxidant genes in colonic mucosa tissues. n = 4 per group. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01 compared with wild-type (WT) mice. GCLc: Glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit; GSH-Px: Glutathione peroxidase; HO-1: Heme oxygenase-1; KO: Gene knockout; SOD: Superoxide.