Figure 7
From: Oxidative stress-mediated iNKT-cell activation is involved in COPD pathogenesis
N-acetylcystein (NAC) prevents the recruitment/activation of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and reduced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) features induced by cigarette smoke (CS) exposure. Wild-type (WT) mice treated or not with NAC in the drinking water were exposed to CS and compared with air mice. (a) Changes in airway resistance were measured after 12 weeks in response to increasing doses of methacholine. *P<0.05, **P<0.01. (b) Representative hematoxylin and eosin-stained lung sections (original magnification × 200) are shown. (c) Weight loss percentages of CS- and NAC+CS-exposed mice compared with air mice are shown. *P<0.05. (d) The number of iNKT cells and the expression of CD69 on iNKT cells are depicted. Data represent the mean±s.e.m. of three independent experiments performed in triplicate. *P<0.05. (e) Lung-cell suspensions from mice exposed to CS, with or without NAC treatment, were cultured for 48 h in presence of anti-CD3 Abs or α-GalCer. Cytokine levels were analyzed in supernatants by ELISA. Data represent the mean±s.e.m. of three independent experiments performed in triplicate. *P<0.05, **P<0.01.
