Effect of HA on LPS-mediated histopathological changes and the production of phospho-STAT3 and MMP-9 in lung tissues and BALF. Mice in the different groups administrated with sterile saline or LPS (0.83 mg/kg, i.p) which were sacrificed after behavior tests, and then BALF and lung tissues were collected immediately for following experiments. (A) Representative hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections of right lung lobes at 400 × original magnification showed exaggerated acute inflammatory infiltration, alveoli destruction and interstitial edema in LPS group (scale bar = 100 µm). Homogenates of the left lung lobes were obtained and analyzed for the expression of phospho-STAT3 (B) and pro-MMP-9 (C, n = 3) by Western blotting, and assayed for MMPs activity in BALF by gelatin zymography (D, n = 3). Data represent group means ± S.D., n = 3 to 7 mice/group. #
p < 0.05, ##
p < 0.01 and ###
p < 0.001 as compared with the saline control group (Control); * p < 0.05 as compared with the co-solvent group (vehicle).