Figure 4

Western blot analysis of the nuclear p65, cytoplasmic IκB-α and ICAM-1 protein in lung tissues. sham = anaesthetized and non-ventilated rats; NC = high-pressure ventilation with normocapnia; MHA = moderate hypercapnic acidosis; SHA = severe hypercapnic acidosis. (A) A representative western blot of lung tissue nuclear p65, cytoplasmic IκBα and ICAM-1 from a sham (unventilated) animal, and animals exposed to HPV under HCA and normocapnic conditions. Both moderate and severe hypercapnic acidosis reduced nuclear p65 expression after 4 h of HPV (p < 0.05). IκB-α fractions were only reduced by HPV and were protected by the use of hypercapnic acidosis (p < 0.05). ICAM-1 showed positive expression, but this was highest in animals treated with only HPV. Densitometric readings of the western blot expressed as NF-κB and IκB-α and ICAM-1/loading control β-actin (panels B, C and D). Horizontal bars represent the median. n = 4 for each group. ^ap < 0.05 versus the sham group;^bp < 0.05 versus the NC group;^cp < 0.001 in the SHA group versus the MHA group.