Berberine alleviates experimental colitis by enhancing gut-microbiota-dependent intestinal barrier function and suppressing gasdermin D activation

Figure 2 Berberine reduces colonic inflammation and improves the intestinal epithelial barrier. A-C: Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of the relative mRNA expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the colonic tissues of mice on day 9 after dextran sulfate sodium treatment; D-F: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β protein levels in the supernatant of the colonic explants of the mice on day 9 after dextran sulfate sodium treatment; G: Representative images of immunohistochemical staining for claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 in colon samples from different experimental groups. The data shown are the mean ± SEM (n = 5-8). ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, and ^cP < 0.001. IL: Interleukin; CON: Control; DSS: Dextran sulfate sodium; Berb-L: Berberine low-dose group; Berb-H: Berberine high-dose group; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; ZO-1: Zonula occludens-1.