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

Figure 5 The involvement of the gut microbiota in the anti-inflammatory and intestinal-barrier-restoring effects of berberine. 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 fecal microbiota transplantation; D-F: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β protein levels in the supernatant of colonic explants of mice on day 9 after fecal microbiota transplantation; 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 = 8). ^aP < 0.05, ^cP < 0.001. IL: Interleukin; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; DSS: Dextran sulfate sodium; FMT: Fecal microbiota transplantation; PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline; Berb: Berberine; ZO-1: Zonula occludens-1.