Figure 3.

Production of transforming growth factor-β₁ (TGF-β₁). (A) TGF-β₁ gene expression differences between eosinophils isolated from asthmatic patients compared with eosinophils from the healthy control group. (B) Changes in TGF-β₁ gene expression in ASM cells after exposure to either eosinophils that had or had not been subject to integrin-blocking. (C) Protein levels of free TGF-β₁ in growth medium of eosinophil and ASM cell co-cultures. Results are mean ± SEM. Asthma group n = 22; control group n = 17. ^#p < 0.05 compared with eosinophils that had not been subject to integrin-blocking; ^*p < 0.05 compared with eosinophils from the control group. Control, ASM cells that had not been co-cultured with eosinophils; EOS control, non-treated eosinophils; integrin-blocking, 1-h incubation with Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS)/Gly-Arg-Ala-Asp-Ser-Pro (GRADSP) in a 0.125 mg/mL final concentration.