摘要We hypothesized whether systemic administration of high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HMW HA) could rescue trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal.C3H/HeN mice and C3H/HeJ mice were used.Mice were divided into four groups:control,50％ ethanol treatment group,TNBS treatment group,and TNBS plus HA treatment group.The weight changes,clinical scores,macroscopic scores,and histological scores were recorded.Cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) expressions were measured both in colons and peritoneal macrophages from these mice.HA was a rescue therapy for the colitis induced by TNBS only in C3H/HeN mice.The clinical score,macroscopic score,and histological score were much lower in C3H/HeN mice receiving TNBS plus HA treatment.Cox-2 and PGE2 expressions only increased in C3H/HeN mice.These Cox-2 expressing cells were macrophages.HA can also promote the production of Cox-2 and PGE2 in peritoneal macrophages from C3H/HeN mice.Our data demonstrated that HMW HA can rescue TNBS-induced colitis through inducing Cox-2 and PGE2 expressions in a TLR4-dependent way.Macrophages may be the effector cells of HMW HA.