Figure 3.

Septin-2 modulates barrier function properties in NHBE cells. (A) NHBE cells treated with lentiviral shRNA directed against septin-2 have more than 85% reduction in protein expression, as confirmed by immunoblotting. (B) After septin-2 knockdown, again there is no significant change in barrier properties under static conditions. In NHBE cells, shear leads to barrier enhancement, which is preserved in cells transduced with the nontargeting lentiviral construct, but exposure to septin-2 shRNA causes significant barrier disruption. (Sept, septin; sh, shear; st, static; n = 4; *P < 0.05 with one-way ANOVA).