Fig. 4

Transplantation of fecal microbiota from EAP mice with HSD elicited more severe prostate inflammation in psuedogerm-free mice. a Simple schematic diagram of the experimental workflow. b HE staining and inflammation scores of prostate tissues (scale bar = 100 μm, n = 4). c Development of tactile allodynia in mice belonging to the 4 groups (n = 4). d The concentrations of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-17A, and 5-HIAA in the serum of NOD mice in the 4 groups were measured (n = 4). e Proportion of Th17 of CD4⁺ T cells, as determined by flow cytometry, among the splenic lymphocytes of immunized mice in the 4 groups (n = 4). f The infiltration of Th17 cells in prostate tissues from mice was determined by immunofluorescence (white arrowheads, scale bar = 100 μm, n = 4). ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001, ^****P < 0.0001; ns non-significant. NOD nonobese male diabetic/LtJ, EAP experimental autoimmune prostatitis, HSD high-salt diet, NSD normal-salt diet, FMT fecal microbiota transplantation, HE hematoxylin–eosin, IL-1β interleukin-1β, TNF-α tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-17A interleukin-17A, 5-HIAA 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, DAPI 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole