Abstract
We have recently reported that the intestinal microflora, especially chloroform-resistant variants (CRV), plays an important role in the maturation of murine intestinal mucosal T cell developments. In this study, to elucidate the role of CRV in the development of colitis, we compared the susceptibility to the colitis of the specific-pathogen-free (SPF) flora-associated and CRV-associated ex-GF Balb/c mice by means of intra-rectal administration of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). The association of SPF flora or CRV with GF Balb/c induced phenotypic maturation in large intestinal (LI)-intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and LI-lamina propria (LP) T cells. In LI-IELs, the CD4/CD8 ratio decreased with contamination by SPF flora or CRV with GF Balb/c mice. Among LP cells, the number of