Fig. 3

NF-κB signalling activation induces intestinal injury during sepsis. Mice were intraperitoneal injected with PDTC (100 mg/kg BW) and then subjected to CLP. A The location of NF-κB was detected after the indicated treatment. NF-κB is stained green; the nuclei are stained blue. Scale bar indicates 20 μm. B Representative western blots of indicated proteins in NF-κB signal shown on left and the right graph shows the relative band densities. C Microphotographs of H&E-stained intestine sections from the indicated groups. The scale bar represents 100 μm. The right graph shows the Chiu’s score of each group. D The serum concentration of DAO in each group. E The levels of ZO-1 and Occludin were analysed by Western blots. F Representative images of TUNEL staining. The graph shows the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells. The scale bar represents 50 μm. G The levels of apoptotic markers were measured by Western blots. The graph shows the relative band densities. H Morphological alterations in mitochondria were examined by TEM (scale bar = 1.0 μm). Yellow arrows indicate the relatively normal mitochondrial shape in the sham group. Red arrows indicate deformed mitochondria with the loss of clearly defined cristae. Green arrows indicate the rescued mitochondrial shape. I The relative fluorescence intensity of ROS in the intestine. J The ratio of JC-1 red/green fluorescence intensity which reflecting the MMP level was shown in graph. K Representative Western blots showing mitochondrial fusion (Mfn1, Mfn2, OPA1) and fission (Drp1 and Fis1) markers on the left, and the graph on the right shows the relative band densities. The data in the graphs are expressed as the mean ± SD. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. (n = 6)