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Fig. 3 | Molecular Medicine

Fig. 3

From: The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine promotes immune response and inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition to alleviate pulmonary fibrosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by suppressing the VWF/p38 MAPK axis

Fig. 3

NAC relieves COPD-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting VWF. A Efficiency of VWF overexpression detected by RT-qPCR. COPD rats were treated with NAC and oe-VWF (with NAC and oe-NC as control) (n = 10). B VWF expression in lung tissues of COPD rats detected by RT-qPCR. C Levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of COPD rats measured by ELISA. D Histological score of COPD rats detected by HE staining. E Bronchioles area, thickness bronchioles, the wall area/total bronchiole area (MA%) and the wall thickness/bronchiole diameter (MT%) of COPD rats; F Collagen volume fraction in lung tissues of COPD rats detected by Masson’s trichrome stain. G α-SMA level in lung tissues of COPD rats detected by Immunohistochemistry. CSE cells were transduced NAC and oe-VWF (with NAC and oe-NC as control). H VWF expression in CSE cells detected by RT-qPCR. I Levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in CSE cells measured by ELISA. J Protein levels of Collagen I and α-SMA in CSE cells determined by Western blot analysis. **p < 0.05. ***p < 0.001. ****p < 0.0001. Data are shown as the mean ± standard deviation of three technical replicates. Data between two groups were compared by independent sample t test. Data among multiple groups were compared by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test

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