MUC2 and colitis: In the context of DSS-induced colitis, consumption of L. lactis-slpB increased significantly (p < 0.001) the colonic mRNA expression levels (Figure 5) of muc-2 gene and epithelial barrier genes zo-1, cln-1, and cln-5 (1.75 ± 0.87; 2.65 ± 0.72; 1.46 ± 0.54; 1.56 ± 0.35, respectively), when compared with the DSS Control group (0.60 ± 0.21; 0.97 ± 0.49; 0.41 ± 0.25; 0.90 ± 0.31, respectively).