Inflammatory cell adhesion on the peritoneum and NF-κB activation after CLP is reduced in RAGE^–/– mice. Age- and sex-matched WT and RAGE^–/– mice were sham-operated (Sham) or were subjected to CLP. WT indicates C57BL/6 ∞ 129/Sv mice. Twenty-four hours after sham operation or CLP, peritoneum was harvested for histology or isolation of nuclear proteins for EMSA. Experiments were repeated three times with similar results. (A) Representative pictures of hematoxylin and eosin–stained peritoneum sections from experimental groups showing adherent inflammatory cells; magnification, ∞400. Cells in visual fields of serial sections of peritoneum were counted using a microscope, and the results were summarized and analyzed statistically. The standard error is given (± SEM), and P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant (*). WT, dark gray bars; RAGE^–/–, light gray bars. (B) Representative EMSA for NF-κB–binding activity in peritoneum derived from WT and RAGE^–/– mice 24 hours after sham operation or CLP. (C) Representative EMSA for NF-κB–binding activity in lungs derived from WT and RAGE^–/– mice before (0 h) and 24 hours after (24 h) CLP.