FIGURE 1.
Acid injury transiently disrupts airway host defense to bacterial challenge. Mice received an inoculum of E. coli (1–2 × 105 CFU in 25 µl) into the left lung 12, 24, or 48 h after instillation of HCl (0.1 N, pH 1.0, 25 µl) and a BGI was determined with lung homogenates. Some animals received PBS (−) instead of HCl (+) followed 12 h later by E. coli inoculation. BGI was calculated as the ratio of lung CFU to the original inoculum. *p < 0.05 versus PBS (−) animals. Values represent the mean ± SEM (n > 4).