Increased release of acetylcholine (ACh) from airway parasympathetic nerve endings is one mechanism that may contribute to increases in airway responsiveness in immunoglobulin E (IgE)-immune allergen-exposed animals. We measured ACh released from murine tracheas following electrical field stimulation in vitro. BALB/c mice were immunized by exposure to an aerosol of 1% ovalbumin in sterile phosphate-buffered saline for 20 min/day for 10 days. At this time, levels of ovalbumin-specific IgE were proportionately higher than ovalbumin-specific IgG. As a control, nonimmune mice were similarly exposed to phosphate-buffered saline alone. Forty-eight hours after the last aerosol, tracheas were removed for assessment of either the contractile responses to electrical field stimulation and a cholinergic agonist (methacholine or ACh) or release of ACh produced by electrical field stimulation. ACh in the bath was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The stimulation frequencies causing one-half the maximal contractile response to electrical field stimulation were 4.1 +/- 0.2 and 2.8 +/- 0.2 Hz (P = 0.0001) for nonimmune and immune mice, respectively, whereas the molar concentrations of methacholine causing one-half of the maximal contractile response did not significantly differ. In addition, the dose-response curves of immune and nonimmune tracheas to ACh were superimposable. A significant increase in ACh release was demonstrated at both 10 and 20 Hz in tracheas from immune mice. ACh release (pmol.g tissue-1.min-1) from nonimmune and immune murine tracheas, respectively, were 140 +/- 8 and 205 +/- 22 (P = 0.013) at 10 Hz and 147 +/- 13 and 227 +/- 14 (P = 0.008) at 20 Hz.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A decrease in the airways' nonadrenergic noncholinergic inhibitory (NANC-i) system is one of the mechanisms that may contribute to allergen-induced changes in neural control within airways. We measured the airways' neurally mediated contractile and relaxant (NANC-i) responses in tracheal segments and left mainstem bronchus (LMB) from normal (control), immune (ragweed sensitized), and immune challenged rabbits. Immune rabbits were sensitized to mixed ragweed extract through parenteral injections from birth, while the immune challenged group had an additional airway exposure to aerosolized ragweed 48 hours prior to the in vitro studies. Neurally mediated contractile responses to electrical field stimulation (EFS) were increased in the immune challenged group, with the increase most significant in tracheal smooth muscle at a stimulation frequency of 20 Hz. To assess NANC-i responses, airway smooth muscle (ASM) segments from these groups were placed in tissue baths containing atropine (10(-6) M) and propranolol (5 x 10(-6) M). After contraction of the tissue with neurokinin A (NKA, 10(-5) M), the NANC-i response to EFS at 20 Hz was measured and reported as the mean (+/- SEM) percent relaxation. No significant differences were seen in the contractile responses of ASM segments to NKA among the three groups. The tracheal segments showed a significantly different NANC-i relaxation response among all groups: in the control group, 29.1 +/- 3.7; in the immune group 15.8 +/- 2.3%; and in the immune challenged group, 2.1 +/- 4.2%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.