Figure 4

Efficacy of treatment with combined 4B/4D and 7A AONs against cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation. Mice were treated with endo-tracheal vehicle only (VEH), with combined 4B/4D and 7A AON (0.008, 0.04 or 0.2 mg/kg/day) or with control sequences (CTRL, 0.2 mg/kg/day) and exposed to cigarette smoke for one week, as per protocol design described in Figure 3A. Neutrophil counts (A), KC (B) and pro-MMP-9 levels (C) were measured in BAL. Results are expressed as percentage of neutrophils, KC or pro-MMP-9 levels in vehicle-treated and smoke-exposed animals (± SEM). *: p < 0.05; ***: p < 0.001; t-test versus vehicle-treated without smoke exposure, or versus CTRL, as indicated (compilation of 4 independent experiments; n = 10–20 mice per group for neutrophils, 14–15 per group for KC, and 9–10 per group for pro-MMP-9).