Fig. 5.

IV and nebulised EV effects on lung function in E. coli induced pneumonia. Rats received a bolus of E. coli, 1 h later were administered BM- or UC-EVs by IV or nebulisation route, and various physiological parameters assessed at 48 h. PO2 (A) and PCO2 (B) were assessed in arterial blood under 21% oxygen ventilation by blood-gas analyser. Total infiltrating leukocytes in the BAL were counted by differential staining and haemocytometer (C), and the relative amount of fluid in the lung tissue was determined by weighing tissue sample when freshly harvested and dessicated (D). Respiratory static compliance was assessed in lungs (E) and finally, BAL was plated to agar and bacterial load quantified through colony counting (F). Control N = 4–9, Vehicle N = 7–8, BM-EV N = 6–8, Neb BM-EVs N = 6–8, UC-EVs N = 6–8, Neb UC-EVs N = 6–8. † p < 0.05 wrt sham. *p < 0.05, **p0.01, ***p < 0.005 wrt pneumonia with vehicle. ns = no significant difference between IV and Neb delivery