Abstract
Children with asthma frequently have sinus X-ray abnormalities. We have previously shown that most of these sinus X-ray abnormalities represent non-infectious inflammation, and treatment of sinusitis in these children improves asthma and decreases bronchial reactivity. A rabbit model was developed to investigate the effect of the upper respiratory tract inflammation of sinusitis on lower respiratory tract function. Rabbit maxillary sinuses were injected transcutaneously with the chemotactic peptide, C5a des Arg. By 4-6 hrs sinus membrane thickening and neutrophil accumulation occurred, remaining for 24 hrs. Pulmonary functions (resistance, compliance, thoracic gas volume, and specific conductance) and airway response to aerosolized histamine (0.3 to 100 mg/ml) were obtained weekly in rabbits: initial, with C5a des Arg-induced sinusitis, and 1 and 2 wk after sinusitis. Rabbits with sinusitis demonstrated hyperreactivity (50% decrease in specific conductance) to histamine at a 10× lower concentration. To assure the effect of C5a des Arg was not on the lungs, I125-albumin injected into the sinuses did not appear in the lungs; rabbit neutrophils isolated and labeled with IIIIndium-Tropolon and reinfused 30 min prior to C5a des Arg sinus injection resulted in neutrophil accumulation only in the sinuses, not in the lungs. These data provide evidence that non-infectious upper respiratory tract inflammation alters bronchial reactivity in a rabbit model similar to our findings in children with asthma.
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Cummings, N., Irvin, C., Haslett, C. et al. C5A DES ARG-INDUCED SINUSITIS IN RABBITS: EFFECT ON BRONCHIAL REACTIVITY TO HISTAMINE. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 389 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01774
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01774