Figure 8.

Peptide blocking of the PIX–PAK interaction inhibits permeability. (A) BAECs on filters with 3-μm pores were pretreated with 20 μg/ml PIX-blocking or control peptides for 1 h and then stimulated with VEGF for 30 min. HRP movement across the monolayer was assayed as described in Materials and Methods. (B) Mice received intraperitoneal injections with the indicated amounts of the PIX-blocking or control peptides. They were treated with aerosolized LPS or saline for 6 h and then leakage of Evans blue dye (EB) into the lung assayed as described in Materials and Methods. Values are means ± SD, n = 4–8. *p < 0.02, **p < .001, relative to LPS-treated mice without peptides.