Fig. 4: Therapeutic efficacy of inhaled RCS-21 in a preclinical animal model of acute inflammatory lung damage.

a Experimental strategy. Wild-type mice were administered with PBS or 2 U/kg bleomycin (bleo) into the lungs using a micro sprayer. 2.5 mg/kg RCS-21 or control oligo (containing mismatch-miR-21 sequence) was applied by inhalation 4 days after injury. 10 days later, lung function was assessed, and lungs were harvested for morphometry and isolation of cells. b Mean tracings of pressure-volume curves. Gray shaded area behind the curves indicates standard error mean. PBS and bleomycin treatment is represented by dashed and solid lines, respectively. c Lung function as indicated by quasi-static elastance and quasi-static compliance. d Left, representative staining and analysis of lung sections using Sirius red/Fast green. Scale bar represents 100 μm. Right, quantification of fibrosis. e Left, representative staining of CD68. Right, quantification of CD68 positive cells. Scale bar represents 50 μm. b–e Control oligo: PBS n = 3, bleo n = 7. RCS-21: PBS n = 3, bleo n = 6. Data are mean ± SEM and individual values and were analysed using two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post test (two-sided). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.