Figure 5.

Neutrophilic tracheobronchitis is associated with airway epithelial remodeling in mycoplasma-infected mice. (A) These representative micrographs of periodic acid–Schiff and hematoxylin-stained airway sections compare histopathology in +/+ and W-sh mice Bar, 180 μM. Infected W-sh mice developed more severe and persistent neutrophilic inflammation accompanied by goblet cell hyperplasia, as reflected by increased numbers of periodic acid–Schiff–positive airway epithelial cells (arrows). Control mice were sham infected with saline 7 d before harvest. (B) Airway goblet cell numbers were quantitated in tissue sections from mycoplasma- and sham-infected mice. Symbols represent the following: closed diamonds, mycoplasma-infected W-sh; closed triangles, mycoplasma-infected +/+; open diamonds, sham-infected W-sh; open triangles, sham-infected +/+. Data are mean ± SE; n = 4–5 animals per group; *, P < 0.05 and **, P < 0.01 compared with infected +/+.