Fig. 2

Histological analysis of lung tissue; a Representative photomicrographs of fixed lung sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (Aggregations of inflammatory cells (arrow) were observed in the ovalbumin [OVA]-sensitized and -challenged mice [OVA/OVA] but not in the controls [phosphate buffered saline [PBS]/PBS and OVA/PBS). However, the lungs of the OVA/OVA mice treated with titanium dioxide nanoparticles [TiO₂ NPs] exhibited more inflammatory cells aggregates), b Representative photomicrographs of fixed lung sections stained with periodic acid Schiff (PAS; Lung tissue sections showed goblet cell hyperplasia and increased mucus secretion [arrow] in the OVA/OVA and OVA/TiO₂/OVA mice, compared to those in the controls), c Quantification of goblet cell in PAS-stained lung sections showing a significant increase in goblet cell in the OVA/OVA group, compared to that in the PBS/PBS and OVA/PBS groups (P < 0.001; TiO₂ NPs treatment in the asthmatic OVA/TiO₂/OVA group resulted in a significant increase in the number of goblet cells, compared to those in the asthmatic non-treated group [OVA/OVA; P < 0.01]. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM for seven bronchial airways per mouse [n = 5 mice per group], and the groups were compared using one-way ANOVA)