Figure 2.

MTOR impairment enhances PM-induced IL6 expression in HBE cells. HBE cells were transfected with MTOR-siRNA (A and D) for 24 h, and then stimulated with PM (100 μg/ml) for an addition 24 h, or treated with Rapa (5 nM) (B and E) or Torin1 (250 nM) (C and F) together with PM (100 μg/ml) for 24 h. The relative mRNA levels of IL6 (A to C) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR, and the secretion of IL6 (D to F) in cell culture supernatants was determined by ELISA. (G to K) MTECs were differentiated in an air-liquid interface culture system. After well differentiation, cells were treated with Torin1 (250 nM) together with PM (100 μg/ml) for 24 h. The relative mRNA levels of Il6 (G), Cxcl1 (H), and Cxcl2 (I) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR, while the protein levels of CXCL1 (J) and CXCL2 (K) were detected by ELISA. Data are representative of 3–5 independent experiments. Error bars, mean ± SEM. Differences were identified using one-way ANOVA. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.