Fig. 7
Effect of pannexin channel inhibitor or P2R antagonist on the expression of MUC5AC in poly(I:C)-treated differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells from COPD patients. a Expression of MUC5AC in poly(I:C)-treated HBECs from healthy subjects and COPD patients. HBECs were treated with 10 μg/ml poly(I:C). After 24 h, whole cells were harvested and assayed for the expression of MUC5AC gene by Real-time PCR. The data are expressed as the mean ± SEM of five healthy subjects or five COPD patients. b-d The relationship between the expression of MUC5AC in poly(I:C)-treated HBECs and smoking history (pack-years), the values of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) %predicted, or carbonmonoxide diffusing capacity corrected for alveolar ventilation (DLCO/VA) %predicted. P-value and r were determined by Spearman’s correlation analysis in all subjects. Open circles (○) show healthy subjects and closed squares (■) show COPD patients. r is the correlation coefficient. e, f Effect of a pannexin channel inhibitor, carbenoxolone (CBX), or a P2R antagonist, suramin, on the expression of MUC5AC in poly(I:C)-treated HBECs from COPD patients. Cells were treated with CBX 1 h or suramin 30 min before 10 μg/ml poly(I:C) stimulation. After 24 h, whole cells were harvested and assayed for the expression of MUC5AC gene. The data is a representative of three independent experiments with three to five samples performed by using HBECs from three COPD patients, expressed as mean ± SEM. **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 compared with the values of control. g, h Effect of P2X7R antagonists on the expression of MUC5AC in poly(I:C)-treated HBECs from COPD patients. Various concentrations of a P2X7R antagonist, BBG, or a specific P2X7R antagonist, A438079, were added 30 min before 10 μg/ml poly(I:C) treatment. After 24 h, whole cells were harvested and assayed for the expression of MUC5AC gene. The data is a representative of three independent experiments with two to five samples performed by using HBECs from three COPD patients, expressed as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 compared with the values of control