Fig. 1

Reduced levels of SCFAs are associated with a pro-inflammatory environment in the colonic mucosa during EAE. A EAE was induced in untreated WT (EAE, red) or Antibiotic-treated (grey, EAE + ABX: Antibiotic treatment from dpi 5 to 25; ampicillin 1 g/L and streptomycin 1 g/L) mice by immunisation with pMOG in CFA followed by pertussis toxin injection and then, the disease severity was determined throughout the time-course of the disease development. Values represent mean ± SEM from 7–8 mice per group. B Systemic and intestinal levels of SCFAs were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in serum and faeces, respectively, at various time points during the disease development. Values represent mean ± SEM from 4–5 mice per group. C Distal colons sections were isolated at 15 dpi, and the levels of cytokine transcripts were analysed by qRT-PCR. The levels of gapdh transcripts were used as a housekeeping. Data were obtained from 5 to 14 mice per group. Each symbol represents data obtained from an individual mouse. Mean ± SD are indicated. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001; ****, p < 0.0001 by (A and B) one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test, or (C) student’s t-test. (B) Black asterisks correspond to comparisons between EAE and healthy groups, whilst grey asterisk correspond to comparisons between EAE and EAE + ABX groups