Fig. (2) Effect of CS, LPS and CS/LPS on mucin gene transcription in vivo, using MUC7 transgenic mice. Total RNA was isolated from the untreated and treated mice tissue and reverse transcribed. Human MUC7, and mouse Muc5ac and Muc10 expression in trachea (panel A) and in lung (panel B) was determined by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). The level of different mucin mRNA was normalized to mouse Gapdh. Each triangle point represents individual control or experimental mouse (n=5). The horizontal line represents the average expression of the particular mucin in each group of animals. The mice groups are: control (exposed to air), LPS (exposed to lipopolysaccharide), CS (exposed to cigarette smoke) and CS/LPS (exposed to combination of cigarette smoke and lipopolysaccharide). The significant increase in the levels of mucin gene expression in the tissues of treated versus untreated mice, or the p value <0.05 was found in trachea (panel A), for MUC7 with LPS treatment, and for Muc5ac with LPS, CS and CS+LPS; in lung (panel B), only for MUC7 with LPS treatment.