Effects of clarithromycin on radiation-induced macrophage influx, alveolar septal changes, and apoptosis in lungs of mice.

<p>(A) Representative photomicrographs of H&E-stained lung sections from control (CTL), radiation only (RT), radiation + clarithromycin (RT+CLA), and clarithromycin only (CLA) animal groups (macrophage at arrow). (B) Representative photomicrographs of sirius red-stained lung sections from each group. Thin arrow indicates macrophage and bold arrow indicates thickened, fibrotic alveolar septum). Scale bar = 100μm. (C) Cleaved caspase-3 expression in lungs of control (CTL), radiation only (RT), radiation + clarithromycin (RT+CLA), and clarithromycin only (CLA) animal groups. (D) Cleaved caspase-3 expression in lungs of respective groups. Densitometry values were normalized to β-actin and data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 2–6 mice per group). *<i>p</i><0.05 vs CTL mice; †<i>p</i><0.05 vs RT mice.