Fig. 4.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection disrupts the integrity of airway epithelial junctions. Lung tissue sections of control, UV-RSV, and live RSV-infected animals were subjected to immunofluorescence labeling for tight-junction (TJ) proteins [zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin, claudin-1, claudin-2, claudin-18) and adherens junctions (AJ) (β-catenin, E-cadherin) proteins. Labeled sections were examined by confocal microscopy. Arrows indicate intact junctional complexes in airways of control animals. Arrowheads point to disrupted TJ structure and increased claudin-2 labeling in tissue sections of RSV-infected mice. Scale bar, 40 μm. Images are representative of ≥3 experiments, with >5 mice per group.