Protective effect of a PAR2‐activating peptide on histamine‐induced bronchoconstriction in guinea‐pig

Protease activated receptor‐2 (PAR2) is a seven transmembrane domain G protein coupled receptor proteolytically activated. PAR2, together with other PARs, can be also activated by peptides mimicking the sequence of the receptor tethered ligand. We have evaluated the effect of systemic administration of a peptide activating PAR2 (PAR2‐AP, SLIGRL) on histamine‐induced increase in lung resistances in the guinea‐pig. Intravenous administration of PAR2‐AP (1 mg kg −1 ) significantly inhibited histamine‐induced increase in lung resistance in a time‐dependent fashion that was not abolished by indomethacin or vagotomy. Bronchoprotective effect of PAR2‐AP was not reversed by the cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, the nitric oxide synthetase inhibitor, L ‐NAME, nor by the non‐selective beta‐antagonist, propranolol. Indomethacin augmented the bronchoconstriction to histamine which was inhibited by PAR2‐AP. Furthermore, in vagotomized animals, the bronchial hyper‐responsiveness to histamine was significantly reduced, and in these circumstances, PAR2‐AP still retained the capacity to provide bronchoprotection against histamine. PAR2‐AP also produced a modest reduction in histamine‐induced protein leakage in trachea and upper bronchi. Our results indicated that PAR2 might have a bronchoprotective role in the guinea‐pig in vivo independent of prostaglandin or nitric oxide release.British Journal of Pharmacology (2001) 132 , 1229–1234; doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0703934