Dietary Apostichopus japonicus enhances the respiratory and intestinal mucosal immunity in immunosuppressive mice

Figures & data

Fig. 1. Mice’s systematic immunity after administration of A. japonicus.

Notes: (A) The body weight was weighed every two days. After injecting cyclophosphamide, the body weight was weighed every day. (B) and (C) Thymus/BW and spleen/BW index. Each value represents the mean ± SEM of eight mice in each group. ^##Significantly different from normal group, p < 0.01. *Significantly different from model group, p < 0.05. **Significantly different from model group, p < 0.01.

Fig. 2. Relative expression of lysozyme in respiratory and intestine.

Notes: Lysozyme expression was analyzed by western blotting and β-actin was the loading control. Each value represents the mean ± SEM of eight mice in each group. ^#Significantly different from normal group, p < 0.05. ^##Significantly different from normal group, p < 0.01. *Significantly different from model group, p < 0.05. **Significantly different from model group, p < 0.01.

Table 1. Effect of A. japonicus on sIgA levels in respiratory and intestine.

	Normal	Model	Positive control	Apostichopus japonicus
				256 mg kg^−1	512 mg kg^−1	1024 mg kg^−1
SIgA in respiratory (ng/ml)	8.90 ± 0.61	6.87 ± 0.63^#	10.27 ± 1.17	12.00 ± 1.47^*	13.95 ± 2.45^**	12.81 ± 2.18^*
SIgA in intestine (mg/g)	6.69 ± 0.45	4.01 ± 0.51^##	3.56 ± 0.27	3.36 ± 0.38	3.67 ± 0.27	3.21 ± 0.28

Notes: Data are presented as means ± SEM (n = 8). Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA between the normal and the control groups, and analysis of variance among the model, positive control, A. japonicus 256, 512, and 1024 mg kg⁻¹ groups.

^# Significantly different from normal group, p < 0.05.

^## Significantly different from normal group, p < 0.01

^* Significantly different from model group, p < 0.05.

^** Significantly different from model group, p < 0.01.

Fig. 3. Different expressions of pIgR in respiratory and intestine.

Notes: Protein expression was analyzed by western blotting and β-actin was the loading control. Each value represents the mean ± SEM of eight mice in each group. ^#Significantly different from normal group, p < 0.05. *Significantly different from model group, p < 0.05. **Significantly different from model group, p < 0.01.

Fig. 4. Different expressions of IgA in respiratory and intestine.

Notes: Protein expression was analyzed by western blotting and β-actin was the loading control. Each value represents the mean ± SEM of eight mice in each group. ^#Significantly different from normal group, p < 0.05. ^##Significantly different from normal group, p < 0.01. *Significantly different from model group, p < 0.05. **Significantly different from model group, p < 0.01.