Therapeutic Inhibition of Cathepsin S Reduces Inflammation and Mucus Plugging in Adult βENaC-Tg Mice

Figure 6

Pharmacological targeting of cathepsin S reduces airway mucus plugging. Four-week-old WT and βENaC-Tg mice were treated daily with cathepsin S inhibitor VBY-999 (CatSi, 100 mg/kg) or dextrose vehicle control (veh) for 14 days. (a) Representative images of adult WT and βENaC-Tg mice lung sections stained with Alcian blue-periodic acid Schiff. Black arrows indicate airway mucus, . (b) Airway mucus quantification is expressed as the percentage of the total airway area containing mucus ( per group). , (one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test).

(a)

(b)