Fig 2: CCL20 and CCR6 gene expression in colonic biopsies. A and B: Microarray gene expression results of CCL20 and CCR6 in colonic biopsies from healthy controls (N), active (UCa) or inactive (UCi) ulcerative colitis, and active (CDa) or inactive (CDi) Crohn’s disease. Individual values (Log2) and mean are plotted. C and D: qRT-PCR gene expression results of CCL20 and CCR6 in colonic biopsies from N, Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), n = 5 in each group. Individual values (foldchange 2-??Ct) and mean are plotted. *p<0.05 versus N, **p<0.01 versus N, ***p<0.001 versus N, ###p<0.001 versus inactive disease.

Fig 3: Immune cell typing of CCL20 and CCR6 positive cells in serial sections.Immunohistochemistry on serial sections from the same biopsy was performed to localize CCR6 and CCL20 positivity to different immune cells. A: Sections from biopsies from active disease were used for CCL20 investigations. There is a partial overlap between CCL20+ cells and CD3+, CD45RO+ and CD20+ cells (arrows a, b, c, d). B: Sections from biopsies from inactive disease for CCR6. There is a partial overlap between CCR6+ cells and CD1a+ cells (arrows a, b). Scale bars as indicated.

Fig 4: Number of CCR6 mRNA and protein positive cells in lamina propria.Number of CCR6 immunohistochemically (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) positive cells in colonic biopsies from healthy controls (N), active (UCa) or inactive (UCi) ulcerative colitis, and active (CDa) or inactive (CDi) Crohn’s disease. Five subjects in each group for IHC, and three for ISH. CCR6 positive cells were counted in ten 15,000µm2 areas of lamina propria for each section. * p< 0.05, ** p<0.01, # p<0.05 versus corresponding inactive disease group. Mean ± SD shown.