Effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG supernatant on serotonin transporter expression in rats with post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome

Figure 1 Experimental flow chart.

Figure 2 Assessment of Campylobacter colonization phase. A: Relative content of stool water during the observation period, ^aP < 0.05 vs control group; B: Body weight of rats during the observation period, ^aP < 0.05 vs control group; C: C-1, catalase test; C-2, 3-indoylacetate hydrolysis test; C-3, hippurate hydrolysis test; C-4, oxidase test; C-5, DNA agarose gel electrophoresis (a: negative sample; b: positive sample; c: positive quality control of Campylobacter jejuni; d: positive quality control of Campylobacter coli; e: negative quality control; f: DNA ladder. Control group, n = 25; PI-IBS group, n = 84.

Figure 3 Assessment of PI-IBS phase. A: Bristol stool score; B: Intestinal transit rate (ITR). ITR = length of the activated carbon moving in the bowel (cm)/length of the whole bowel (cm); C: AWR scores at different pressures. ^aP < 0.05 vs control group. Control group, n = 5; PI-IBS group, n = 4.

Figure 4 Effect of LGG-s on SERT mRNA and SERT-P expression in rat intestinal tissues. A: SERT mRNA levels at the first, second, third, and fourth weeks; B: SERT-P levels at the first, second, third, and fourth weeks analyzed by Western blot; C: Quantitative analysis of SERT-P levels at the first, second, third, and fourth weeks analyzed by Western blot. ^bP < 0.05 vs B or C; ^cP < 0.05 vs all others; ^dP < 0.05 vs M or A; ^eP < 0.05 vs A; ^fP < 0.05 vs M, A or D; ^gP < 0.05 vs M, C or D; ^hP < 0.05 vs M or D. Control group, n = 5; PI-IBS group, n = 5, each week.

Figure 5 Effect of LGG-s on SERT mRNA and SERT-P expression in rat brain tissues. A: SERT mRNA levels at the first, second, third, and fourth weeks; B: SERT-P levels at the first, second, third, and fourth weeks analyzed by Western blot; C: Quantitative analysis of SERT-P levels at the first, second, third, and fourth weeks analyzed by Western blot. Control group, n = 5; PI-IBS group, n = 5, each week.