Elastase Contribues to Antigen-indued mucociliary Dysfunction in Ovine airways

摘要

Antigen-indeuced bronchoconstriction is associated with impairment of mucociliary clearance with a time course that is consistent with the initial influx of neutrophils into the airway. In this study we tested the hypothesis that elastase released from activated neutrophils contributes to the acute (O to 6-hr) antigen-induced mucociliary dysfunction. Tracheal mucous velocity (TMV), an index of mucocili- ary function, was measured with a roentgenographic technique before and serially after airway chal- lenge with Ascaris suum antigen alone, or after pretreatment with aerosolized alpha_1-protease inhibi- tor (α_1-pl, 10 mg).