Culture & Childhood Obesity: Investigating maternal experiences

<p>(A) Perivascular and (B) bronchial inflammation was recorded in mice exposed to cigarette smoke and RSV for 6 months and their corresponding controls. (C) Matrix accumulation was assessed with trichrome staining in each mouse group and quantified by the Ashcroft fibrosis score. Representative images of mice lungs from each group are presented here (scale bar = 20 µM; left panels). Fibrosis and inflammation scores were calculated for each treatment group (right panels where n = 12 animals/group). Each graph is represented as mean ± S.E.M. where each measurement was performed on 12 animals/group. p values shown, comparing both treatments connected by a line.</p

RSV infections enhance cigarette smoke induced airway cell death.

<p>(A) TUNEL analysis was performed on lung tissue from mice exposed to cigarette smoke and RSV for 6 months and their corresponding controls. Graph represented as mean ± S.E.M., where each measurement was performed on 12 animals/group. p values shown, comparing both treatments connected by a line. (B) Representative images of TUNEL staining of mice lungs from each group are presented here (scale bar = 50 µM).</p

RSV infections alter cigarette smoke induced airway cytokine gene expressions.

<p>Values are represented as mean ± S.E.M., where each measurement was performed 3 times on 12 animals/group. Bold numbers denoted by *represents a p value less than 0.05 compared to mock and room air treated mice.</p>#<p>denotes a p value less than 0.05 compared to either smoke or RSV treated mice.</p

RSV infections alter cigarette smoke induced airway protease gene expressions.

<p>Values are represented as mean ± S.E.M., where each measurement was performed 3 times on 12 animals/group. Bold numbers denoted by *represents a p value less than 0.05 compared to mock and room air treated mice.</p>#<p>denotes a p value less than 0.05 compared to either smoke or RSV treated mice.</p

Smoke enhances RSV inhibition of PTP1B and PP2A activities.

<p>Lung tissue from C57BL/6J mice was examined for gene expression and phosphatase activity for (A) PP2A and (B) PTP1B. Graphs are represented as mean ± S.E.M., where each measurement was performed on 12 animals/group. p values shown, comparing both treatments connected by a line.</p

Chronic cigarette smoke exposure enhances RSV pathology in mouse airways.

<p>(A) Protocol for administering A2 RSV strain and cigarette smoke to C57BL/6J mice. C57BL/6J mice (n = 12 animals/group) were infected with monthly RSV infections in combination with 6 months of smoke exposure. (B) Changes in body weight of each treatment group of C57BL/6J mice, represented as a percentage of initial weight of mock and room air treated mice at the beginning of this study. p values shown, comparing both groups by 2-way ANOVA. (C) RSV N copy number was determined 10 days post final infection in the lungs of C57BL/6J mice infected with 1×10⁶ pfu of RSV A2 strain and exposed to either room air or cigarette smoke for 6 months. Absolute RSV N concentration was represented as natural log pg. (D) BALF immune cellularity was measured and changes were observed following repeat monthly RSV infections in combination with 6 months of smoke exposure on total immune cell number, macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes. Graphs are represented as mean ± S.E.M., where each measurement was performed 3 times on 12 animals/group. p values shown, comparing both treatments connected by a line.</p

RSV infections enhance cigarette smoke induced cathepsin S activity.

<p>BALF protease activity was of mice exposed to cigarette smoke and RSV for 6 months and their corresponding controls. (A) Total BALF collagenase and cathepsin S relative activity was determined. (B) Gelatinase activity was determined in BALF and densitometry was performed for MMP-9 and MMP-2. Graphs are represented as mean ± S.E.M., where each measurement was performed 3 times on 12 animals/group. p values shown, comparing both treatments connected by a line.</p

Correlation between BALF MMP/TIMP levels and % change in FEV1.

<p>BALF protein levels for MMP-1, -9 and TIMP-1 were correlated with the % change from baseline in FEV1 at 6, 9 and 18 months of follow up. The coefficient of determination (R²) was calculated for each value at each time point.</p

Quartiles of MMP protein expression.

<p>Minimum to 25% represented quartile 1 (Q1), 26% to Median represented quartile 2 (Q2), Median to 75% represented quartile 3 (Q3) and 75% to Maximum represented quartile 4 (Q4).</p

Correlation between baseline and follow up BALF and plasma MMP/TIMP levels.

<p>Baseline BALF and plasma protein levels for MMP-1, -9 and TIMP-1 were correlated with follow up MMP/TIMP levels that were collected and measured 3 or 6 months following the baseline tests. The coefficient of determination (R²) was calculated for each value at each time point.</p