Fig. 3

Global increase in TNF-α in the βENAC mouse lung was not associated with mucus obstruction. TNF-α was labelled in green, nuclei counterstained with DAPI (blue), scale bars are in micrometers, insets are magnification of the boxed areas. Wild type control alveoli (a) and bronchiolar epithelium (d) showed few small size specks of TNF-α (arrowheads). βENAC alveoli (b) and bronchiolar epithelium (e, f) showed increased TNF-α specks, irrespective of being unobstructed (e) or obstructed (f) with mucus. c Negative staining control. g Box plot represents mean values of bronchioles’ speck numbers normalized to numbers of nuclei, measured from individual mice; βENaC animals are present with two sets of data corresponding to unobstructed (red) and obstructed (green) areas. Each dot in the box plots represent the average of 10 bronchioles. Mann-Whitney, ** p < 0.01