AFFERENT NERVE ACTIV IN ISOL TRACHEA OF INF MONKEYS EXP TO OZONE & ALLERGEN

这个子项目是众多研究子项目之一

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Objective: In primates and humans, a substantial portion of lung development occurs postnatally, including proliferation and innervation of the developing respiratory tract. We documented that the airways of 6 month-old monkeys exposed to ozone (O3) plus allergen (HDMA) during postnatal development had significantly fewer intraepithelial nerves than animals raised in filtered air (FA). In addition, the nerves had an altered distribution in the epithelium. To determine whether inhaled corticosteroids could reverse these changes, 1-month-old rhesus monkeys were sensitized and then exposed for 5 months to FA or O3 (0.5 PPM, 6hr/day, 5days, every other wk) plus HDMA (2 hr/day, 3 days, every other wk). One half of the FA and O3/HDMA animals were given inhaled budesonide (BUD) (0.33 mg/5 minutes) daily from 3-6 months. The density and distribution of intraepithelial nerves in intrapulmonary airways was evaluated immunohistochemically using immunoreactivity for protein gene product (PGP) 9.5. In addition of significantly fewer intraepithelial nerves in the airways of O3/HDMA monkeys compared to FA monkeys, airways of O3/HDMA monkeys contained clusters of abnormal PGP 9.5-immunoreactive cells. Treatment with BUD did not promote re-innervation of epithelial mucosa. In addition, there was a significant increase in PGP 9.5-positive ciliated cells.