Fig. 2. IL-2 complexes preserve lung allograft function.

BALB/c lungs were transplanted into C57BL/6 recipient mice pre-treated as in Fig. 1a. a Scheme of experimental procedure for measurement of partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO₂) and lung compliance. The endogenous lung (R) was ligated at the main bronchus by a surgical suture to prevent ventilation while the grafted lung (L) was ventilated by intubation with an intratracheal catheter. Blood was sampled from the abdominal aorta. b, c Bars represent PaO₂ (b) and lung compliance (c; cc/cm H₂O) of grafted lungs in PBS- (black filled bars) and IL-2cx-treated mice (open bars) on indicated days after transplantation. Non-transplanted (Non-Tx) mice served as controls. No PaO₂ and compliance data could be obtained from PBS-treated mice from day 15 and later due to advanced rejection of grafted lungs. Data are presented as mean ± SD of n ≥ 6 mice of 2–3 independent experiments. Statistical comparisons in (b, c) were calculated using two-sided Mann–Whitney U test with calculated p values shown. ns not significant.