Fig. 8

MMP12 deficiency reduces the number of dysregulated genes associated with allergy and asthma following menthol-flavored JUUL aerosol exposures with or without HDM. Heatmaps displaying a, b transcriptional expression of genes related to allergy and asthma-mediated responses induced by the exposure to menthol-flavored JUUL aerosols with and without HDM in WT and MMP12 KO mice. Data obtained through PCR array and are expressed as fold-changes > ± 1.5 compared to respective air controls. N = 4 mice per group. Red denotes up-regulation and green denotes down-regulation. c, d Lung protein concentration of MUC5AC. Data represent the mean ± SEM for n = 3–5 animals per group. One-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey’s test post-hoc test. *p < 0.05 statistically different. e RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization. Representative lung tissue images of 2-D spatial transcriptomics for Nqo1 (red) and Muc5ac (blue). Scale bar = 50 µm. * = Bronchial lumen. Orange circle: strong Muc5ac expression (blue signal) and colocalization with Nqo1 (red signal).​ White circle: weak Muc5ac expression (blue signal) and colocalization with Nqo1 (red signal).​