Figure 2.
Increased levels of proinflammatory mediators in response to CS exposure and/or VEGFR-2 inhibition in mouse lung homogenate. Proinflammatory cytokines (KC/CXCL1, MCP-1/CCL2, IL-6, and TNF-α) were assessed in lung homogenates using a Luminex-based assay kit (Upstate Cell Signaling). The levels of KC and MCP-1 were significantly increased in VEGFR-2 inhibitor-treated CS-exposed group animals compared to the CS-exposed group (A, B). Furthermore, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were increased in response to CS exposure and in combination of CS exposure with VEGFR-2 inhibition compared with both air groups (C, D). A) #P < 0.05 vs. CS-exposed group; ***P < 0.001 vs. vehicle-treated air-exposed group. B) *P < 0.05 vs. vehicle-treated air-exposed groups; #P < 0.05 vs. vehicle-treated CS-exposed group. C) ***P < 0.001 vs. both air-exposed groups. D) *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01 vs. both air-exposed groups.