Figure 4
GC frass serine proteases regulate airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in Balb/c mice. Balb/c mice were challenged on day 0, 7, and 14 with PBS, PBS pretreated with aprotinin (10 μg/ml), GC frass (40 μg) or GC frass pretreated with aprotinin. On day 17, mice were anesthetized and acetylcholine was injected after establishment of a stable airway pressure. A. AHR was measured as airway pressure time index (APTI) in cm-H2O × sec -1 (* p < 0.001). B. Lungs from the mice were excised, and cells dissociated and maintained in a single suspension culture for 3 days in the presence of Con A (10 μg/ml). Supernatants were removed and ELISAs were run for IL-5, IL-13 and IFNγ. These data are represented as cytokine (listed on the x-axis) in ng/ml from PBS or frass treated mice. C. Serum IgE levels were analyzed by ELISA (*p < 0.001). In all cases the data are expressed as mean ± SEM and represent 13–14 mice per group and statistical significance determined by ANOVA.