M. Shigyo

Eosinophilic airway inflammation induced by repeated exposure to cigarette smoke

Acute exposure to cigarette smoke causes airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in guinea-pigs, which resolves within a few hours. Repeated exposure may have a different effect on the airways. To address this question, guinea-pigs were repeatedly exposed to cigarette smoke (six cigarettes for 1 h x day(-1)) for 14 consecutive days. Airway responsiveness to inhaled histamine and differential cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were evaluated 1 day after the last exposure. Significant neutrophilia in BALF was observed after 3 days of smoke exposure. Significant eosinophilia in BALF and AHR were observed after 14 days of smoke exposure, but not after 3 or 7 days of smoke exposure. These changes persisted until 3 days after the last exposure and resolved 7 days afterwards. Histologically, the recruited eosinophils were observed predominantly in the airways, but not in the alveoli. Treatment with E-6123, a specific platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist (1 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1) p.o. during smoke exposure) significantly inhibited the eosinophil influx and AHR. Repeated exposure to cigarette smoke may induce prolonged airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in guinea-pigs. Platelet-activating factor or platelet-activating factor-like lipids may play a key role in airway hyperresponsiveness, presumably by the induction of eosinophilic airway inflammation.

Effect of inhaled glucocorticoid on the cellular profile and cytokine levels in induced sputum from asthmatic patients

Abstract. Cytokines are considered to play a role in the airway inflammation of bronchial asthma. We examined the cellular profile and cytokine levels in induced sputum samples obtained before and after treatment with beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP, 800 μg/day, for 4 weeks) in 12 mild to moderate asthmatic subjects who had not previously received inhaled glucocorticosteroids. Sputum was induced with a 20-min inhalation of 3% saline by an ultrasonic nebulizer. The freshly expectorated sputum separated from the saliva was analyzed for cell counts, for the concentration of interleukin-8 (IL-8), and for the concentration of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The mean percentage of eosinophils in the sputum samples decreased significantly after BDP treatment, but no significant change in the percentage of neutrophils was observed. The mean IL-8 and GM-CSF levels also decreased significantly after treatment. The BDP treatment was associated with an increase in the mean peak expiratory flow (PEF) and with a decrease in the diurnal variation of PEF. These results suggest that inhaled steroids improve airway inflammation and lung function in asthmatics, presumably in part by inhibiting the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 and GM-CSF.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide regulates neurally mediated airway responses

To clarify the protective effects of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) on airway narrowing, we examined the effects of PACAP on smooth muscle contraction and plasma extravasation in guinea-pig airways. Smooth muscle contraction evoked by electrical field stimulation (EFS) or exogenously applied acetylcholine (ACh) or substance P (SP) was measured before and after PACAP in vitro. The effect of PACAP on airway plasma extravasation was also measured in vivo. In trachea, PACAP (10(-9) - 10(-7) M) significantly suppressed smooth muscle contraction evoked by EFS without affecting ACh sensitivity, suggesting that PACAP inhibits cholinergic neuroeffector transmission. In the main bronchi, PACAP (10(-9) - 10(-8) M) significantly suppressed the contraction evoked by EFS without affecting SP sensitivity in the presence of atropine, suggesting that PACAP inhibits SP release from excitatory nonadrenergic noncholinergic (eNANC) nerves. In animals treated with atropine and propranolol, PACAP attenuated the increase in plasma extravasation induced by electrical vagus stimulation or by SP. These results suggest that pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide may play a role in modulation of airway responses through inhibition of cholinergic and noncholinergic mechanisms.

Ipratropium bromide protects against bronchoconstriction during bronchoscopy

Pulmonary function is reportedly impaired by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. We investigated the effect of two anticholinergic agents, intramuscular atropine and inhaled ipratropium bromide, on bronchoconstriction in 29 patients who were undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy. The patients were divided into three groups; the first received 0.5 mg of atropine intramuscularly; the second took four puffs of 0.02 mg ipratropium bromide aerosolized by a metered-dose inhaler, and the third inhaled four puffs of a placebo. Fifteen minutes later a standardized topical anesthetic, lidocaine, was administered, and a bronchoscopic examination was performed. Pulmonary function was measured before and 15 minutes after each step. Pulmonary function was not affected by the treatment with anticholinergics or the placebo. In the placebo and the atropine groups, the topical anesthesia produced significant reductions in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV,) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR); further reductions in these values were observed after bronchoscopy. In the group treated with ipratropium bromide there were no significant changes in FEV, and PEFR after topical anesthesia. Bronchoscopy induced significant reductions in FEV1 and PEFR, but the changes were significantly smaller than those seen in the placebo and atropine groups. The results suggest that the deleterious effect of bronchoscopy on pulmonary function is due to topical lidocaine anesthesia and to the bronchoscopic examination itself. Inhaled ipratropium bromide protects against these deleterious effects, whereas intramuscular atropine does not.

Effect of BAY u3405, a thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist, on neuro-effector transmission in canine tracheal tissue

Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is reported to potentiate vagal nerve neuro-effector transmission in airway smooth muscle tissue. We investigated the effects of BAY u3405 (3(R)-[[4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]amino]-1,2,3,4,-tetrahydro-9H-carbazole - 9-propanoic acid), a potent and selective TXA2 receptor antagonist, on the increase in vagal nerve neuro-effector transmission induced by a TXA2 mimetic, U-46619, in the canine trachea. We measured the contractions of canine tracheal smooth muscle evoked by electrical field stimulation (EFS) and by acetylcholine (ACh) in the presence and absence of a subthreshold dose of U-46619 (the highest dose that did not induce any smooth muscle contraction). We then examined whether BAY u3405 inhibited the effect of U-46619 on tracheal smooth muscle. The following results were obtained: (i) subthreshold doses of U-46619 (10(-10) M and 10(-9) M) significantly increased the amplitude of the contractions evoked by EFS; (ii) by contrast, U-46619 had no effect on the contractile response of smooth muscle to exogenously applied ACh; (iii) the contraction evoked by EFS was completely abolished by the application of atropine (10(-6) M) or tetrodotoxin (10(-7) M), indicating that EFS caused the smooth muscle contraction through the release of ACh from vagal nerve terminals; and (iv) pretreatment with BAY u3405 (10(-6) M) abolished the excitatory action of U-46619 on the amplitude of twitch contraction evoked by EFS in the trachea. These results indicate that U-46619, at low concentrations, has a prejunctional action stimulating neuro-effector transmission, presumably increasing ACh release from vagal nerve terminals through TXA2 receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Role of thromboxane-A2 and cholinergic mechanisms in bronchoconstriction induced by cigarette smoke in guinea-pigs

Acute exposure to cigarette smoke provokes bronchoconstriction and increases the concentration of thromboxane (Tx) A2 in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of TxA2 and cholinergic mechanisms in the airway response induced by exposure to cigarette smoke in guinea-pigs. Anaesthetized animals were exposed to 200 puffs of smoke for 10 min. The amount of Evans blue dye extravasated into the bronchial tissue was then measured BAL was performed to determine cell counts and the concentration of TxB2, a stable metabolite of TxA2. The effects of pretreatment with a Tx synthase inhibitor, OKY-046 (10 mg.kg-1), and/or atropine (1 mg.kg-1) were evaluated. Exposure to cigarette smoke caused significant bronchoconstriction (284 +/- 33% of baseline pulmonary resistance (RL)) and plasma extravasation (30.0 +/- 3.8 vs 16.8 +/- 2.6 ng.mg-1 of sham control; main bronchi). OKY-046 or atropine significantly inhibited the bronchoconstriction to a similar extent, without affecting the plasma extravasation. Combined use of these compounds had no additive effect. The cigarette smoke caused significant increase in TxB2 (48 +/- 10 vs 14 +/- 1 pg.mL-1 of sham control) in BAL fluid, which was abolished by OKY-046 but not by atropine. The cellularity in BAL fluid was not different among groups. These results suggest that the bronchoconstriction induced by cigarette smoke is partially mediated by thromboxane A2, which is dependent on a cholinergic pathway.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide mediates inhibitory nonadrenergic noncholinergic relaxation.

We investigated the contribution of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) to inhibitory nonadrenergic noncholinergic (inhibitory-NANC) relaxation of tracheal smooth muscle in cats. We also investigated the roles of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and nitric oxide (NO) on this function. Smooth muscle strips prepared from feline trachea were precontracted with 1 microM serotonin, and inhibitory-NANC relaxation was induced by electrical-field stimulation in the presence of atropine and propranolol. PACAP-(6-38) (a selective antagonist of PACAP; 1, 3 and 10 microM), VIP-(10-28) (a selective antagonist of VIP; 1, 3 and 10 microM) and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, a selective NO synthase inhibitor; 3, 10 and 30 microM) each partially but significantly attenuated the amplitude of inhibitory-NANC relaxation. The effects of PACAP-(6-38) and VIP-(10-28) were additive. Addition of PACAP-(6-38) and/or VIP-(10-28) further attenuated relaxation in the presence of L-NAME. These results suggest that PACAP, VIP and NO contribute to the relaxation induced by inhibitory-NANC in tracheal smooth muscle in cats, and that they mediate this relaxation via different pathways.

PACAP reverses airway hyperresponsiveness induced by Ozone exposure in guinea pigs

Background: We previously demonstrated that pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) inhibits airway smooth muscle contraction and plasma extravasation. Objective: We thus hypothesized that PACAP may regulate airway responsiveness through these effects and examined the effects of exogenously applied PACAP on the airway hyperresponsiveness induced by ozone exposure. Methods: Ozone exposure was carried out in awake, spontaneously breathing guinea pigs using 3 ppm for 2 h. Airway responsiveness to histamine was determined before and 30 and 90 min after the termination of ozone exposure for 2 h in anesthetized animals. Extravasation of Evans blue was measured before and 90 min after the termination of ozone exposure. Either PACAP (10–6 mol/kg) or vehicle was administered intravenously 60 min after exposure. The airway responsiveness was expressed as the concentration of histamine required to produce a 200% increase in total pulmonary resistance (PC200). Results: Ozone exposure caused a significant decrease in PC200 (n = 5, p < 0.05) 30 min after ozone exposure which persisted 90 min thereafter, thus suggesting that ozone caused airway hyperresponsiveness. PACAP significantly suppressed the increase in airway hyperresponsiveness induced by ozone 90 min after exposure (n = 5, p < 0.05). In contrast, this peptide did not have any effect on plasma extravasation. Conclusion: We thus conclude that PACAP decreases ozone-induced airway responsiveness, and, therefore, intravenously administered PACAP may be useful in reversing airway hyperresponsiveness.

The effects of a specific tachykinin receptor antagonist FK-224 on ozone-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation

Abstract We have demonstrated previously that tachykinin depletion by capsaicin prevented the ozone‐induced airway hyperresponsiveness and the bronchial wall oedema in guinea pigs. To further clarify the role of neurogenic inflammation in ozone‐induced airway hyperresponsiveness, we investigated the effects of a specific tachykinin receptor antagonist (FK‐224) in guinea pigs. Animals were anaesthetized, tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated. Total pulmonary resistance (RL) was calculated from transpulmonary pressure and box flow in a plethysmograph. Airway responsiveness was assessed by determining the provocative concentration of histamine aerosol that increased RL to twice the baseline value (PC200). Animals were injected with either FK‐224 (10 mg/kg, dissolved in 0.2 mL/kg DMSO) or vehicle (0.2 mL/kg DMSO) intravenously, then pre‐ozone PC200 was determined. Following this measurement, animals were exposed to 3 ppm ozone for 60 min. Immediately after exposure, the histamine dose response curve was evaluated again. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in animals treated with FK‐224 or vehicle. In animals treated with vehicle, ozone exposure caused significant decrease in PC200 and moderate increase in neutrophils in BAL fluid. FK‐224 pre‐treatment significantly inhibited ozone‐induced hyperresponsiveness. Neutrophils in BAL fluid did not significantly increase after ozone exposure in animals treated with FK‐224. By contrast, the degree of epithelial desquamation did not differ significantly between the two groups. We conclude that neurogenic inflammation caused by tachykinin release may be responsible for ozone‐induced bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and that tachykinins may play a role in the initiation of airway inflammation.

Role of tachykinins in airway narrowing induced by cigarette smoke in guinea pigs.

To investigate the mechanism of the airway narrowing induced by cigarette smoke, anaesthetized guinea pigs were exposed to 200 puffs of smoke for 10 min. Airway narrowing was assessed by monitoring the total pulmonary resistance (R(L)). Plasma extravasation was determined by measuring the amount of Evans blue dye extravasated into the trachea and main bronchi. Exposure to cigarette smoke caused a marked airway narrowing and plasma extravasation. Pretreatment with the dual NK(1) and NK(2) receptor antagonist, FK224, abolished such airway narrowing and significantly inhibited the extravasation. While the NK(1) receptor antagonist, FK888, inhibited the extravasation, it had no effect on airway narrowing. Atropine partially inhibited airway narrowing without affecting extravasation. Results suggest that the airway narrowing induced by cigarette smoke is caused by tachykinins, and that a cholinergic pathway is involved. Thickening of the airway walls induced by NK(1) receptor-mediated extravasation may not be involved in such airway narrowing.