Fig. 1

Generation of the CCL1 transgenic (Tg) mice using the surfactant protein C (SP-C) promoter. a The plasmid was composed of the 3.7-kb human SP-C promoter and the SV-40 small T intron. The murine CCL1 cDNA was cloned into the SalI/EcoRI restriction site, creating the SPC-CCL1 cDNA fusion gene. The resultant plasmid was digested with SacI to generate 4.4-kb (SPC-CCL1) linear fragments, which were microinjected into the pronuclei of fertilized C57BL/6 mouse eggs and implanted into a foster mother mouse to induce a pseudopregnancy. b Gene expression of SPC-CCL1 and GAPDH evaluated by RT-PCR. CCL1 gene expression was confirmed by RT-PCR using specific primers. CCL1 gene expression was upregulated in the lungs of SPC-CCL1 Tg mice, but negative in those of wild-type (WT) mice. c Comparison of CCL1 levels in BAL fluid between Tg and WT mice. CCL1 concentrations were measured by ELISA. The levels of CCL1 in BAL fluid and serum were elevated in SPC-CCL1 Tg mice (gray bar) compared to WT mice (black bar). *P value <0.01. d Histological findings for the lungs (hematoxylin and eosin stain, ×200). No morphological changes were observed in the lungs of SPC-CCL1 Tg mice (right), compared to WT mice (left)