Figure 5
Systemic effects in naïve mice induced by anti-AT 1 R and anti-ET A R Ab-positive SSc-IgG . Anti-AT1R and anti-ETAR Ab-positive SSc-IgG transfer increases neutrophil recruitment and KC levels (murine IL-8 analogue) in mice. (A) Significantly increased neutrophil counts detected in BALF of mice treated with SSc-IgG compared with NC-IgG (n = 7; P < 0.01). (B) KC plasma levels in SSc-IgG-treated mice as compared with NC-IgG-treated mice are increased by trend (NC-IgG, n = 5; SSc-IgG, n = 6; P = 0.05). (C) KC plasma levels significantly correlate with neutrophil counts in BALF (NC-IgG n = 5, SSc-IgG, n = 6, r2 = 0.6756, P = 0.0019, linear regression correlation). Mean and SEM, **P < 0.01. (D) Repeated treatment with IgG results in marked alterations of the lung structure of SSc-IgG-treated mice compared with NC-IgG or untreated mice. Shown are representative light-microscopy pictures, H&E staining, ×12.5 magnification; bar indicates 500 μm. Asterisks indicate examples of airway vessels; arrows indicate elevated cell density in interstitial tissue.