Concentration of IL-6 released from human endothelial ECV304 cells transfected with nAchRα1 shRNAs after stimulation with LPS (A) or plasma (B) from patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Small hairpin scrambled (sh scramble), small hairpin #1 (sh#1), and small hairpin #2 (sh#2) for nAChRα1. CIS = cisatracurium; IL-6 = interleukin-6; LPS = lipopolysaccharide; nAchRα1 = nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α1. *P < 0.05 CIS 0.06 and 0.16 μM versus no CIS. $P < 0.05 sh#1 and sh#2 versus sh scramble at CIS 0.06 and 0.16 μM. °P < 0.05 CIS 0.06 versus 0.16 μM.