Premium
Effect of nasal allergen challenge on serotonin, substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide in plasma and nasal secretions
Author(s) -
Tønnesen P.,
Hindberg I.,
Muckadell O. B. Schaffalitzky,
Mygind N.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1988.tb00906.x
Subject(s) - serotonin , vasoactive intestinal peptide , allergen , substance p , endocrinology , methacholine , medicine , provocation test , allergy , immunology , neuropeptide , receptor , respiratory disease , pathology , alternative medicine , lung
We have studied the changes in concentration of serotonin, substance P, and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in plasma following a nasal allergen provocation in 14 grass pollen‐allergic subjects; in five the urinary excretion of serotonin and 5‐hydroxy‐indolylacetic acid (5‐HIAA) was also measured. In addition, the concentration of serotonin and substance P was measured in nasal secretions following nasal challenge with allergen and methacholine. The results showed an allergen‐induced increase in free plasma serotonin ( P <0.01) and no change in platelet serotonin, urinary serotonin and urinary 5–HIAA. The plasma substance P level tended to fall ( P > 0.1), while plasma VIP increased significantly ( P < 0.02). In nasal secretions, there were measurable levels of serotonin in all samples and of substance P in all but one. There was no difference between the concentrations of serotonin and substance P in secretions collected after allergen challenge and after methacholine challenge. For both substances, the secretion median value was comparable to that of plasma. Symptom reduction by topical and systemic pretreatment with a serotonin‐ and VIP‐antagonist before nasal allergen provocation is necessary to define the role of these two agents in allergic rhinitis.