Fig. 7.

In vivo effects of IL-38 on humanized HDM-induced allergic asthma mice. a The timeline protocol of the humanized allergic asthma model is shown. b Airway obstruction was measured as Penh values; Penh (% baseline) was calculated by dividing the methacholine-induced Penh value by the PBS baseline value (n = 3). c Human CD45⁺ cells were assessed on day 20 in the lungs of human PBMC-reconstituted NOD/SCID mice. The secretion of human IL-4 and IL-5 into d the BALF and e lung homogenates was determined. f, g Representative lung sections stained with H&E or PAS were examined at ×100 or ×200 magnification (n = 3). h Immunostaining analysis of eosinophils in mouse lung tissue samples and lung sections was examined at ×200 magnification. i Gating strategies for CCR3⁺ eosinophils and CD4⁺CRTH2⁺ cells are shown. Flow cytometric identification of CCR3⁺ eosinophils in single-cell suspensions generated from the j, k BALF and l, m lungs is shown. Flow cytometric analysis of CD4⁺CRTH2⁺ cells in n the lungs, o MLN, p spleen, and q thymus is shown. r Results are expressed as percentages for CD4⁺ Th cells. The results are shown as the mean ± SEM of triplicate independent experiments with a total of four mice. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.001 when compared between the denoted groups. Abbreviation: MLN, mediastinal lymph nodes