Fig. 4

BHB increases colonic M2 macrophages in DSS-induced colitis. Littermate WT mice received BHB or saline enema were given DSS in drinking water to induce experimental colitis as described in Fig. 1a. On day 18, these mice were killed and their colon tissues were collected for the following analyses. a Real-time PCR analyses of indicated genes in whole-colonic homogenates. The mRNA levels of target genes were normalized to that of GAPDH. b Systematic diagram of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage and related biological functions potentially correlated with the 10 upregulated genes. c The number of colonic F4/80⁺ CD206⁺ immune cells per 300 μm². M2 macrophages were co-immunostained with F4/80 (green) and CD206 (red). F4/80⁺ CD206⁺ cells were counted under a microscope. d Representative immunofluorescence images of F4/80 and CD206 immunostaining in colon tissues (scale bars: 100 μm). White boxes represent the magnified view. a, c Data represent means ± SEM (n = 5 per group); NS, not significant; *P< 0.05, **P< 0.01 by unpaired Student’s t test. Data shown are representative of three independent experiments