Excitotoxic lung injury in rats and its prevention by estradiol. In the presence of estradiol (E2), none of the manifestations of lung injury, i.e. increase in PAW (A), PPA (B), W/D (C), and BAL (D) protein content was observed. Each panel shows values in normal control (left bar), NMDA alone (middle bar), and NMDA plus estrogen (right bar). NS, Not significant.