Fig. 2

The plasma HDL from ARDS patients promotes CLP-induced ALI in C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice were treated with PBS, N-HDL or A-HDL after moderate CLP (50% ligation). a Representative hematoxylin and eosin–stained lung sections. b The degree of lung injury was scored by a scale of 0 to 4 according to edema, inflammation, hemorrhage and the area of structural impairment (n = 7 per group). The ratios of lung wet/dry weight (c) and the Evans Blue leakage assay (d) (n = 5–8 per group). e The level of TNF-α in BALF (n = 5 per group). f The mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1 and MCP1) in lung tissues by qPCR (n = 4–5 per group). g The level of plasma LPS (n = 5–8 per group). *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 versus sham group; ^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01 versus PBS treatment group; ^&p < 0.05 and ^&&p < 0.01 versus N-HDL treatment group. CLP: Cecal ligation and puncture, N-HDL: HDL from normal subjects, A-HDL: HDL from ARDS patients. Scale bar: 100 μm