Inflammatory responses in A/J mice.

<p>(a) TGF-β (left panel) and TNF-α (right panel) expression in serum by treatment groups. The results are expressed the means ± SEM (n = 3 in each group). *<i>p</i><0.05 compared to sham control groups. ^#<i>p</i><0.05 compared to short-term sham NNK groups. ^†<i>p</i><0.05 compared to long-term OVX, N+T groups. ^‡<i>p</i><0.05 compared to long-term OVX, N+E2+T groups. Short term: experiment terminated at the 7^th week. Long term: experiment terminated at the 24^th week. (b) Lung homogenates were used to detect the expression and activation of pIκB, IκB, cytoplasmic p65, nuclear p65, cytoplasmic p50, nuclear p50, COX-2 and GAPDH by using specific primary antibodies. (c) Immunohistochemistry for COX-2 protein in A/J mice lung tissues. Arrows indicated COX-2 positive stained bronchial epithelium (magnification, ×100). Sham: sham-operated, OVX: ovariectomized, C: control, N+T: NNK+TCDD, N+E2: NNK+E2 (17β-estradiol), N+E2+T: NNK+E2+TCDD.