Fig. 2.

Bacteria stimulate ASL secretion (A–C), which is inhibited by CFTRinh172 (D–F). (A and B) Scatterplot and median of ASL height in tracheas exposed to bacteria-free (A) and P. aeruginosa-laden (B) agarose beads. The median ASL height increased from 99 µm to 103 µm after a 35-min incubation with bacteria-free agarose beads (n = 18) and from 66 µm to 89 µm after a 35-min incubation with bacteria-laden agarose beads (n = 19) (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). (C) Average increase in ASL height triggered by bacteria-laden (n = 19) and bacteria-free (n = 18) agarose beads (P < 0.05, Student t test). Columns labeled with different letters differ significantly). (D) Scatterplot and median values of ASL heights of tracheal preparations incubated for 30 min with CFTRinh172 (100 µM) before exposure to P. aeruginosa-laden agarose beads. The median ASL height did not change after a 35-min incubation with bacteria-laden agarose beads in CFTRinh172-treated preparations (n = 26; P > 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). The cartilage surrounding the trachea was dissected out to ensure access of the blocker. (E) Scatterplot and median values of ASL heights of tracheas that underwent the same surgical procedure as tracheas in D and before exposure to P. aeruginosa-laden agarose beads. The median ASL height increased from 86 µm to 143 µm after a 35-min incubation with bacteria-laden beads (n = 26; P < 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). (F) Average increase in ASL height triggered by bacteria-laden beads in CFTRinh172-treated and untreated controls (n = 26 for both CFTRinh172 and controls; P < 0.05, Student t test). Columns labeled with different letters differ significantly.