Fig. 3
Representative sections of elastin (left panel – a/d/g/j), Von Willebrand factor (vWF) (Middle panel – b/e/h/k) and trichrome (right panel – c/f/i/l) staining of lung sections (200x) in all the four groups (room air saline (RAS) – a/b/c; room air caffeine (RAC) – d/e/f; hyperoxia saline (HS) – g/h/i & hyperoxia caffeine (HC) – j/k/l). Septal count (m) and septal length (n) were studied in elastin sections; vessel count (o) and vessel surface area (p) were evaluated by vW Factor immunohistochemistry and trichrome sections (Open box plots – RA groups; shaded box plots – hyperoxia groups). Lower septal count (m) and reduced septal length (n) in the hyperoxia group was significantly augmented by caffeine in both male and female mice (*p < 0.001 vs. RAS, RAC & HC groups, Fisher’s post-hoc test, ANOVA). Vessel count was significantly higher in the HC group, especially in male mice (o, **p < 0.0001 vs. RAS, RAC & HS groups, †p < 0.01 vs. RAC & HS groups; Fisher’s post-hoc test, ANOVA). Blood vessel surface area at 200x (237,600μm2) was higher in the hyperoxia group administered caffeine in both male and female mice (p, **p < 0.0001 vs RAS, RAC & HS groups, Fisher’s post-hoc test, ANOVA (n = ten mice/group)