Figure 2. Neutrophil survival induced by dexamethasone and low oxygen levels is regulated by NF-κB and Mcl-1.

(A) Percentage of neutrophil survival at 24 h while cultured at various oxygen levels, with (closed bars) and without (open bars) 100 nM dexamethasone. (B) The impact of a selective PI3K inhibitor (10 μM LY294002) and a selective Akt inhibitor (10 μM Akt inhibitor V) on neutrophil survival after 24 h of culture under standard culture conditions (21% oxygen) with 100 nM dexamethasone (closed bars) or at 1% oxygen (open bars). (C) Representative immunoblots of the expression of NF-κB (p65; 65kDa) and Mcl-1 (40 kDa) induced by dexamethasone (Dex) and hypoxia. (D) Representative immunoblot of the expression of GR (GRα; 94 kDa) during hypoxia. β-Actin (42 kDa) expression shows equal protein loading. Data represent n = 3–8 and are shown as mean ± sem; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001; #P < 0.05; ###P < 0.001 (compared with 21% oxygen); §P < 0.05 (compared with 21% oxygen). PI3Ki, PI3K inhibitor; Akti, Akt inhibitor; Cont, Control.