Abstract
To investigate the immunoregulatory effects of pertussis protein on airway inflammatory, IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids(BALF) and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the sensitized mice. The sensitized mice were reexposed to ovalbumin and the airway response to methacholine injection was monitored. Inflammatory cells and cytokines IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio in BALF were measured. Lung tissue specimens were collected for histological examination. Intramuscular injection or intranasal instillation of pertussis protein inhibited changes in lung resistance and lung dynamic compliance, upregulated IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio and decreased eosinophil accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. Pathological examination showed that goblet cell hyperplasia and inflammatory cells infiltration in lung tissue were suppressed by pertussis protein. Pertussis protein inhibits the inflammation and regulates the function of lungs in asthma mice, suggesting its potential application in treatment of asthma.
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