Fig. 4: Suppression of the STING attenuates the development of BAS.

a Schematic of C176 administration in mice. b Western blot analysis showing the P-STING and STING expression in mouse trachea at 24 h after modeling in control group, BAS group treated with PBS and BAS group treated with C176 (n = 3 mice per group). c H&E staining showing Intratracheal and lamina propria conditions in control group, BAS group treated with PBS and BAS group treated with C176 (n = 4 mice per group). Scale bars indicate 200 μm and 50 μm. d Quantitative analysis demonstrated decreased lamina propria thickness in BAS group treated with C176 compared to BAS group treated with PBS (n = 4 mice per group). e H&E staining showing Intratracheal and lamina propria conditions in WT control group,STING KO control group, WT BAS group, STING KO BAS group (n = 5 mice per group). Scale bars indicate 200 μm and 50 μm. f Quantitative comparison of tracheal LP showed reduced thickness at STING KO BAS group compare to WT BAS group (n = 5 mice per group). g, h Tracheal sections stained with Masson trichromatic staining of different groups of mice, and relative collagen content were reduced in STING KO BAS group compare to WT BAS group (n = 5 mice per group).Scale bars indicate 200 μm and 50 μm. i The CT diagram of the area of tracheal stenosis measured by SYNPASE 3D, and results showed that the area of tracheal stenosis in STING KO BAS group was significantly smaller than that in WT BAS group (n = 5 mice per group). j Micro CT scans of different groups in Horizontal, Coronal and Sagittal plane with red arrows indicating the stenosis site. k SYNPASE 3D reconstruction of mouse trachea with red arrows indicating the stenosis site. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM. Two-sided student’s T-test were used in (b). One-way ANOVA analysis followed by Tukey post hoc multi-comparison test was used in (b, d). Two-way ANOVA analysis followed by Tukey post hoc multi-comparison test was used in (f, h, i). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.