Fig. 1. ( A ) Determination of messenger RNA (mRNA) of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) in alveolar epithelial cells (AECs). Monolayers of cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (or phosphate-buffered saline [PBS] as a control) for 4 h. The effect of different concentrations of ropivacaine (ropi; 100, 10, and 1 μm) were evaluated. White bars represent values from control cells; black bars represent values from after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Results in densitometry are expressed as percentage of values obtained from control cells (= 1.0). Values are mean ± SEM from five different assays. The blot represents one of five experiments. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01. ( B ) Determination of mRNA of ICAM-1 in rat pulmonary artery endothelial cells (RPAECs). Monolayers of cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (or PBS as a control) for 4 h. The effect of different concentrations of ropivacaine (100, 10, and 1 μm) were evaluated. Results in densitometry are expressed as percentage of values obtained from control cells (= 1.0). Values are mean ± SEM from five different assays. The blot represents one of five experiments. * P < 0.05.