Fig. 2

Effect of acetylated flagellin on cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)–induced inflammation and injury of vital organs and immune cell apoptosis. a Representative examples of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)–stained lung, liver, spleen, and kidney tissues from mice (n = 5 per group) treated with or without flagellin (5 μg) at 24 h after lethal CLP. b Histological scores for lung, liver, spleen, and kidney tissues from mice (n = 5 per group) treated with or without flagellin (5 μg) at 24 h after CLP. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001 when compared between groups (denoted by the horizontal bracket; Mann–Whitney U test). c Serological markers of organ injury including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatinine in mice (n = 5 per group) treated with or without flagellin (5 μg) at 24 h after CLP. *p < 0.05 and ***p < 0.001when compared between groups (denoted by the horizontal bracket; Mann–Whitney U test). d The spleen tissues from mice (n = 5 per group) treated with or without flagellin (5 μg) at 24 h after CLP were subjected to DNA fragmentation analysis (terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase dUTP nick end labeling [TUNEL]). Representative examples were shown, and TUNEL-positive cells were counted. ***p < 0.001when compared between groups (denoted by the horizontal bracket; Mann–Whitney U test)