Figure 5.

IFN-γ regulates lung fibrosis. (A) Lung injury was induced in CXCR3-deficient (KO) or WT mice by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. For one group of CXCR3-deficient mice, recombinant IFN-γ was injected intramuscularly 20 hours before and repeated 24 and 48 hours after bleomycin treatment. On day 21 after bleomycin instillation, the lungs were harvested and assayed for collagen content. (B) Neutralizing IFN-γ Ab worsens lung fibrosis. IFN-γ or isotype-matched control Ig was given to C57BL/6J mice 24 hours before bleomycin lung injury. Collagen contents were assayed on day 21 following injury in C57BL/6J mice. Six to seven mice per group were used.