Fig. 4.

Zinc deficiency modulates NF-κB-mediated related gene expression in the lung following sepsis. C57BL/6 black mice were subjected to modified diets for 3 wk and then subjected to CLP. Mouse lungs were lavaged and perfused with saline at 24 h following CLP. Total RNA was isolated, and the expression of NF-κB-related genes was determined by real-time PCR. The genes included: the cytokines IL-1β and TNFα (A); NF-κB family p65, p50, IκBα, and IκB family member B cell lymphoma 3 (Bcl-3) (B); and chemokines CCL3 and CXCL14 and the cell adhesion molecule ICAM-1 (C). n = 5 lungs per treatment group; *Zn⁻/CLP vs. Ctrl/CLP, P < 0.05; ‡Zn⁺/CLP vs. Zn⁻/CLP, P < 0.05.