ISSN:
1398-9995
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
The effects of inhaled allergen on airway responsiveness and on β- and α-1-adrenergic receptors on lung membrane were investigated in guinea pigs. After measuring the respiratory threshold to histamine (RT-HIS), one group of guinea pigs passively sensitized for ovalbumin was challenged by allergen inhalation (challenged group). Measurement of the RT-HIS 24 h following challenge revealed a significant decrease from 687 μg/ml (mean, n= 16) to 407 μg/ml (P 〈 0.05). In addition the RT-HIS 24 h after challenge was also significantly lower in the challenged group than in controls (n= 9, P 〈 0.05). The density of α-adrenergic receptors on the lung membrane of the challenged group was 594 ± 32 (mean ± SE) fmol/mg protein (n= 11) compared with 712 ± 24 fmol/mg protein (n= 9) in the controls, a statistically significant difference (P 〈 0.05). A significant correlation was found between the RT-HIS and density of β-adrenergic receptors. From these results, we concluded that the exaggerated airway responsiveness 24 h after allergen challenge is in part due to a decrease in the density of P-adrenergic receptors. There was no difference in the density of β-1-adrenergic receptors nor a significant correlation between the RT-HIS and the number of α-1-adrenergic receptors in the challenged vs. the control groups.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1398-9995.1989.tb00448.x