Fig. 5. miR-146a overexpression dampens force-induced inflammation in vitro.

a miR-146a expression in alveolar macrophages (AMs) subjected to barotrauma following lipofectamine (left panel) or nanoparticle (right panel) transfection with pre-miR-146a, calculated by ΔΔCt method, normalized to scramble controls. Lipofectamine data log-normally distributed, p = 0.0006 via two-tailed Student’s t-test comparing log₂ (fold change), n = 3 per group. Nanoparticle data normally distributed, p = 0.0048 via two-tailed Student’s t-test, n = 3 per group. b RelativeTRAF6 mRNA expression in AMs following nanoparticle mediated miR-146a transfection, calculated by ΔΔCt method, normalized to scramble transfected control. Data normally distributed, p = 0.0240 via two-tailed Student’s t-test. n = 3 per group. c Fold change in IL8 secretion from AMs subjected to pressure (VILI) following scramble transfection or pre-miR-146a transfection using lipofectamine. Secretion was normalized to unpressurized control. Data normally distributed, p = 0.0006 comparing scr and 146a lipofectamine transfected groups, analyzed via one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey test. n = 3 per group. d Fold change in IL8 secretion from AMs subjected to pressure (VILI) following scramble transfection or pre-miR-146a transfection using custom loaded lipid nanoparticles. Secretion normalized to unpressurized control. Data normally distributed, p = 0.0135 comparing scr and 146a nanoparticle transfected groups, analyzed via one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey test; n = 3 per group. Data are presented as mean ± SEM.