Figure 7. Neutrophilic inflammation in the lungs in response to inhalation of attenuated mengovirus.

Mice received intranasal inoculations of 10⁶ PFU of attenuated mengovirus, vMC₀, an equivalent amount of UV-inactivated vMC₀, or vehicle. (A) Lung-associated MPO levels on day 1 postinoculation. MPO levels in lung tissue homogenates from mice inoculated with vehicle or vMC₀ were determined by ELISA and normalized to total protein levels (n = 4 mice per group). (B) MPO release into airway fluids. BAL fluid was harvested on the indicated days, and MPO levels were determined by ELISA (n = 6 mice per group). Data are the total amount of MPO recovered (ELISA values were multiplied by the BAL fluid volume). MPO levels below the limit of detection were assigned a value of 1 ng for graphing purposes. (C) CXCR2 and (D) IL-17A expression in the lungs on day 1 postinoculation. Levels of CXCR2 and IL-17A mRNA were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and normalized to β-actin mRNA levels (n = 6 mice per group). Data are presented as box plots. * P<0.05 (vMC₀ vs. vehicle). ** P<0.01 (vMC₀ vs. vehicle or UV-inactivated vMC₀).