Figure 3.

Effect of EPC-Exosomes on Organ Dysfunction, Vascular Leakage, and Lung Edema in CLP-Induced Sepsis

Plasma levels of AST (A), ALT (B), and BUN (C) were measured at 24 hr after CLP. n = 3–6 mice per group. Lung (D) and kidney (E) sections were stained with H&E and examined histologically. The representative sections are shown at ×400 original magnification, and scale bars are 20 μm. For lung histology, the yellow arrow indicates alveolar wall thickening, the green arrow indicates infiltrated inflammatory cells in the alveoli, and the blue arrow indicates enlarged interstitial space. For kidney histology, the yellow arrow indicates a shrunken glomerulus, the green arrow indicates tubular injury including brush border loss and tubular luminal debris or obstruction, and the blue arrow indicates capillary congestion. Lung (F) and renal (G) injury scores were assessed. n = 3–4 mice per group. Vascular leakage in lung (H) and kidney (I) were measured via injecting Evans blue dye at 24 hr after CLP. Lung water content was determined by wet (W)/dry (D) lung tissue weight ratio (J). *p < 0.05 compared with the sham group; ^#p < 0.05 compared with the CLP group. n = 3–6 mice per group. Results are represented as mean ± SE.