Fig. 2

Effect of equivalent concentrations of budesonide (BUD) and fluticasone propionate (FP) on cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced barrier dysfunction in 16HBE cells and PBECs. 16HBE cells and PBECs were seeded in duplicates, grown to 80−90 % confluence for 3–4 days, serum-deprived (16HBE) or placed on basal medium with transferrin and insulin (PBECs) overnight, pre-treated with or without 16 nM BUD or 10 nM FP for 2 hours and exposed to vehicle (control) or 5 % (PBECs) or 7.5 % (16HBE cells) CSE. a Electrical resistance in 16HBE cells was measured at 400 Hz using ECIS. Resistance levels were normalized to the levels just prior to the addition of CSE or vehicle. In the upper panel, p < 0.01 for control versus CSE, p < 0.01 for CSE versus CSE + BUD and p < 0.05 for CSE + BUD versus CSE + FP, as analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA. The area-under-the-curve (AUC) was calculated, starting from the time-point of 12 hours after CSE addition, and depicted shown in the lower panel. Mean ± SEM (n = 6) levels are shown. * = p < 0.05 and ** = p < 0.01 between the indicated groups (repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni’s post-hoc test). b Capacitance in 16HBE cells was measured at 40 kHz during 24 hours using ECIS and mean levels ± SEM are shown (n = 6). c, d Resistance in PBECs was measured at 400 Hz. Resistance levels (Mean ± SEM, n = 5) were normalized to the values prior to addition of CSE. The AUC was calculated and levels were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA (with Bonferroni’s post-hoc test). * = p < 0.05, ** = p < 0.01 and *** = p < 0.001 between the indicated groups