Figure 3.
Effects of TNF-alpha (50 ng/mL) in the presence or absence of either methylprednisone (10−5 M) or hydrocortisone (10−10 M) in a 24-h treatment on (A) p-ERK and (B) NF-κB evaluated through (C) Western blot analysis in primary HBECs under the same treatments described in the graphs (lanes 1–7).
Notes: Theophylline was present at 10−5 M. Protein levels were determined by Western blot analysis. The gray level of every band was measured to check the difference in the protein expressions of HBECs by ImageJ software. Data are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean of the three experiments. **P<0.01.
Abbreviations: HBECs, human bronchial epithelial cells; NF-κB, nuclear factor-κB; p-ERK, phosphorylated ERK 1/2; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.