FIG 2.

Mucosal response of the ME after NTHi challenge. (A) Time course of mucosal thicknesses in the MEs of CCL3-null versus WT mice after NTHi challenge. No significant differences in mucosal responses were noted during the first 3 days after NTHi infection. On day 5 (***, P < 0.001 by Fisher's exact t test), day 7 (**, P < 0.01), and day 10 (*, P < 0.05), ccl3^−/− animals displayed significantly enhanced mucosal thickness (n = 6 to 7 MEs per time point and strain; bars and error bars represent means ± SEM). (B) Representative histological changes of the ME mucosa of ccl3^−/− versus WT mice 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days after inoculation of NTHi in MEs (original magnification, ×40).