A model for dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse colitis: bacterial degradation of DSS does not occur after incubation with mouse cecal contents.

Germ-free (GF) mice are highly susceptible to dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in comparison to conventionalized (CVz) mice. It is hypothesized that degradation of DSS by intestinal microflora is involved in the susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis of GF mice. This study evaluates the ability of bacteria in mouse cecal contents (CC) to degrade DSS in vitro, and provides confirmatory evidence that DSS was not degraded when incubated with CC. Our results suggest that intestinal microflora do not contribute directly to the difference in susceptibility of GF mice to DSS-induced colitis through degradation.