Fig. 4.

Enhanced inflammation is observed in the lungs of EcoHIV-infected animals also exposed to smoke. A/J mice were inoculated one time with EcoHIV or PBS and exposed to 2 mo of cigarette smoke. A: immunoblots on lung homogenates determined enhanced phosphorylation of p38, ERK IκBα, and STAT3 in mice infected with EcoHIV and smoke exposed. Representative blots are shown here with 2 individual mice/group. B: densitometry was performed on immunoblots. Graphs are represented as densitometry units (DU) of pixel intensity expressed as a ratio to β-actin or total ERK, p38, or STAT3. C and D: BALF was analyzed for IL-6 (C) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, D) levels in each mouse group. Dotted horizontal line denotes limit of detection of assay. Graphs are represented as mean ± SE of 3 separate measurements on independent days. *P < 0.05 when comparing both treatments connected by a line, determined by 2-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test; n ≥ 6/group.