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The effect of platelet‐activating factor on the responsiveness of the human nasal airway
Author(s) -
Austin C.E.,
Foreman J.C.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1993.tb13779.x
Subject(s) - histamine , platelet activating factor , nasal administration , bradykinin , eosinophil , medicine , bronchial hyperresponsiveness , nasal lavage , endocrinology , airway resistance , bronchoconstriction , eosinophil cationic protein , immunology , allergy , lung , asthma , respiratory disease , receptor
1 The effects of inhaled platelet‐activating factor (PAF) on responsiveness of the human nasal airway were examined in normal subjects by measuring nasal airway resistance in response to histamine and bradykinin at 2, 6, 24, 48 h and 7 d after PAF administration. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in nasal secretions was also measured. 2 Intranasal aerosol administration of PAF, 30 or 60 μg per nostril to normal human subjects induced an increased responsiveness to inhaled histamine, 50 to 400 μg and bradykinin, 100 μg per nostril at 2, 6 and 24 h following PAF treatment. However the effect was not apparent at 48 h or 7 days after PAF administration. 3 Intranasal administration of lyso‐PAF, 60 μg by aerosol did not increase the reactivity of the nasal airway in response to histamine, 200 μg. 4 There was no difference in the time course of the PAF‐induced hyperresponsiveness to histamine or bradykinin. 5 PAF‐induced nasal hyperresponsiveness at 2 and 6 h was associated with increases in the ECP concentration of the nasal lavage fluid. 6 Vitamin E pretreatment of subjects resulted in the attenuation of the PAF‐induced hyperresponsiveness to histamine, and a decrease in ECP levels of the nasal lavage fluid. 7 The results suggest that in the human nasal airway, PAF induces a non‐specific hyperresponsiveness which is accompanied by eosinophil activation in the nasal cavity. Free radical production induced by PAF may contribute to the hyperresponsiveness and the activation of eosinophils.