Inhaled hypertonic saline for cystic fibrosis: Reviewing the potential evidence for modulation of neutrophil signalling and function

Figure 3 Hypertonic saline reduces levels of interleukin-8 in cystic fibrosis airway samples thereby reducing neutrophil migration. A: The chemokine IL-8 is a key mediator of inflammation in patients with CF and increases neutrophil migration to the airways. GAGs possess the ability to influence the chemokine profile of the CF lung by binding IL-8 and protecting it from proteolytic degradation; B: HTS functions to disrupt IL-8: GAG complexes, rendering the chemokine susceptible to proteolytic degradation. Clinical application of HTS may serve to decrease the inflammatory burden in the CF lung in vivo. CF: Cystic fibrosis; GAGs: Glycosaminoglycans; HTS: Hypertonic saline; IL-8: Interleukin-8.