Fig. 5.

Effect of Sup ODN on chronic silicosis. Mice were treated with NNK plus silica and then injected with PBS, Sup or control ODN as described in Figure 4. Lung tissue collected at wk 16 was homogenized and examined for (A) IL-10 mRNA levels by reverse transcription–PCR and (B) collagen levels by the Sircol collagen assay. (C) Changes in body weight were measured over 16 weeks. Data represent the combined mean ± SEM of two independent experiments involving greater than or equal to 10 mice per group. Results from the PBS and control ODN-treated groups were indistinguishable and thus combined to increase statistical power. Differences in body weight between groups were analyzed by two-way analysis of variation. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01