Figure 4.

Soluble elastin levels in the supernatants of cultures of fibroblasts from patients with COPD (n=6) and without COPD (non-COPD; n=6).

Notes: Soluble elastin levels were determined in supernatants collected 24 hours after the final siRNA treatments. Versican siRNA treatment did not significantly affect soluble elastin levels in either the COPD or non-COPD cell lines. (A) Untreated confluent cultures from COPD and non-COPD patients sampled on day 9 compared to versican siRNA-treated (COPD-T and non-COPD-T) cultures. Cultures were treated only once on day 8. (B) Untreated and treated COPD and non-COPD cultures treated twice on days 8 and 15 and sampled day 16. (C) Untreated and treated COPD and non-COPD cultures treated three times on days 8, 15 and 22 and sampled day 23.

Abbreviation: siRNA, small interfering RNA.