Fig. 3

Changes in collagen fibers in the lung and skin lesions and immunohistochemical analysis of vascular injury in the lung following the Col V immunization in C57BL/6 mice. Immunofluorescence was performed to characterize collagen I (Col I), collagen III (Col III), and collagen V (Col V) in the lung (a) and skin (b). Mice receiving Col V exhibited increased deposition of Col I and Col V fibers in the lung and skin compared with control. The Picrosirius staining in skin samples showed total collagen in Col V-immunized mice and control (b). Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on the lung C57BL/6 mice receiving the treatment of Col V. Positive cells staining with endothelial markers VEGF and endothelin-1 and apoptosis marker caspase-3 were indicated by brown color (c)