Bone marrow transplantation reveals an essential synergy between neuronal and hemopoietic cell neurokinin production in pulmonary inflammation
J. Clin. Invest. Mara Chavolla-Calderón, et al. 111:973 doi:10.1172/JCI17458 [
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Figure 3Effects of bone marrow reconstitution with WT cells in WT and
PPT-A gene–deleted (
PPT-A–/–) mice and with
PPT-A–/– cells in WT mice on immune complex–mediated lung injury. (
a) WT mice reconstituted with WT bone marrow after conditioning irradiation. (
b)
PPT-A–/– mice (shown by crossing of cells affected by the gene deletion) reconstituted with WT bone marrow, restoring the ability of their hemopoietic cells to produce substance P (SP) and other
PPT-A gene–encoded neurokinins. (
c) WT mice reconstituted with
PPT-A–/– bone marrow, eliminating the ability of their hemopoietic cells to produce
PPT-A gene–encoded neurokinins. (
d) WT mice reconstituted with WT bone marrow (
n = 12) developed intense inflammation after immune complex formation. Reconstitution of
PPT-A–/– mice with WT bone marrow did not reestablish the inflammatory response (
n = 15;
P < 0.0001). Reconstitution of WT mice with
PPT-A–/– bone marrow protected against this response (
n = 15;
P < 0.0001). Cell counts and Evans blue ratios are shown in comparison with control mice injected intravenously with ovalbumin and intratracheally with normal saline (white bars;
n = 4 WT bone marrow to WT, 6
PPT-A–/– bone marrow to WT, and 3 WT bone marrow to
PPT-A–/– mice). TNF-α levels were determined in fewer mice (
n = 7, 10, and 12, respectively). Values are shown as mean ± SE, except for TNF-α levels, which are shown as median and 25th to 75th percentile span.