Enhanced superoxide production by alveolar macrophages and air-space cells, airway inflammation, and alveolar macrophage density changes after segmental …

WJ Calhoun, HE Reed, DR Moest, CA Stevens - Am Rev Respir Dis, 1992 - atsjournals.org
WJ Calhoun, HE Reed, DR Moest, CA Stevens
Am Rev Respir Dis, 1992atsjournals.org
Aerosol antigen challenge is a useful model for studying allergen-driven airway
inflammation. Nonetheless, certain limitations exist with inhalational challenges. First, the
location and deposition of antigen cannot be controlled. Second, since the entire lower
respiratory tract is exposed to antigen, it is difficult to assess the relationship between the
antigen dose and cellular response. Third, the development of airway obstruction to antigen
in sensitive subjects limits the dose that can be delivered safely. Segmental antigen …
Aerosol antigen challenge is a useful model for studying allergen-driven airway inflammation. Nonetheless, certain limitations exist with inhalational challenges. First, the location and deposition of antigen cannot be controlled. Second, since the entire lower respiratory tract is exposed to antigen, it is difficult to assess the relationship between the antigen dose and cellular response. Third, the development of airway obstruction to antigen in sensitive subjects limits the dose that can be delivered safely. Segmental antigen challenge, in contrast, overcomes many of these limitations. Several approaches have been used to determine antigen dose for local challenge (3, 6, 12, 13). Some investigators have given a constant quantity of antigen to all subjects (3), whereas others have attempted to adjust the dose individually using end-point skin titration (12) or bronchoscopically visible airway edema (13). None of these strategies links the degree of antigen bronchial responsiveness to the dose of antigen delivered to the airway. We reasoned that the cellular response to such challenge might bear a relationship to the physiologic response, and consequently used a proportion of a previously defined dose of antigen (which caused a 200/0 fall in the FEV1) for segmental airway challenge. The purpose of this study was to use segmental antigen challenge to characterize the oxidative potential of airspace cells and AM in relationship to the allergic airway reaction.
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