Hiroshi Kamoi

Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in induced sputum in asthmatic patients

Background Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is highly expressed in the airway of asthmatic patients. As VEGF increases airway vascular permeability, consequent thickening of the airway wall mucosa may lead to narrowing of the airway lumen.

The Macrolide Antibacterial Roxithromycin Reduces Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness and Superoxide Anion Production by Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes in Patients with Asthma

We investigated the effects of a macrolide antibacterial, roxithromycin, on the generation of free radicals by peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and on the severity of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Ten asthmatic patients were treated for 3 months with roxithromycin, 150 mg orally once daily; such treatment significantly reduced the production of superoxide anion by PMNs (p = 0.0029) and reduced the bronchial hyperreactivity (p = 0.0016), as compared with results in healthy controls. Most of the patients required at least 2 months of treatment with roxithromycin for clinical improvement. We conclude that long-term, low-dose administration of roxithromycin may be useful in treatment of patients with bronchial asthma.

CALCITONIN GENE-RELATED PEPTIDE ANTAGONIZES THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ADRENOMEDULLIN ON HISTAMINE-INDUCED BRONCHCTION

1. In the present study the possible relationship between adrenomedullin (AM) and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) in the regulation of airway functions in anaesthetized guinea‐pigs was examined in vivo.

Induced sputum analysis in asymptomatic young adults with bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine

Background and objectives:  BHR is a clinical feature of asthma and factors crucial to the development of BHR remain to be elucidated. Asymptomatic BHR also occurs in the general population. This study examined the prevalence of asymptomatic BHR in a population of young Japanese atopic individuals to identify whether airway inflammation is present in asthmatic patients but not in asymptomatic subjects with BHR.