Figure 6: Exposure of small airway epithelium to Ag⁺ solution.

Human primary small airway epithelial cell cultures (SmallAIR) were exposed to AgNO₃ at a dose range of 0.5 – 13.2 ng/cm² for either 6 or 24hrs. Apical media wash and basolateral media was assessed for levels of lactate (A) or LDH (B). RNA was also assessed for relative expression of 28 mRNA and 4 miRNA transcripts displayed as fold over control values (C). All Ag⁺ measurements were normalised to air exposed control cultures. Statistical significance was calculated between unexposed and exposed conditions using paired t-test (p-value; * < 0.05, ** < 0.01, *** < 0.001).