Figure 9.

Significant increase in the expression of autophagy related proteins and number of autophagosomes or autolysosomes in the human lungs from HIV-infected IVDUs. (A) Western blot analysis of total lung extracts from normal, HIV-infected and /or IVDUs for BECN1, ATG5 and ATG7 expression. Graphs represent the densitometry analysis of the blots. (B) TEM analysis showing autophagic bodies (autophagosomes or autolysosomes) in the endothelial lining of the pulmonary blood vessels (3000X magnification). Lower panel shows the 800X magnification image with an area (red box) of the blood vessel from where representative 3000X image of HIV⁺ IVDU group was captured. The graph represents the average number of autophagic bodies counted in at least 24 cells per group (n = 2 per group). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 vs. normal, #P < 0.05 vs. IVDU, $P < 0.05 vs HIV. Scale bars: 500 nm.