The curative effect of inhaled vitamin A with corticosteroid on rat after asthmatic pneumonia and its influence on TSLP expression / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the alteration of thymus matrix lymphocyte generator (TSLP) and change of the Th factor in the course of disease development, and to analyze the curative effect of inhalation of Vitamin A (VA) with corticosteroid for the treatment of asthmatic pneumonia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Asthmatic pneumonia models were prepared by challenging rats with inhalation of ovalbumin for 4 weeks, and rested for 1 week. The treatment with VA and corticosteroid inhalation for 1 week was followed. The rat thymus and lung specimen were examen by histochemical and immunofluorescence staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 4 - 5 weeks of stimulation, there were more TSLP-positive cells and alveolar macrophages (AM) found in thymus and lung tissue of asthmatic group, the cell proliferation in spleen and thymus was obvious, and blood Th factors elevated. The inflammation within the lung tissue aggravated gradually. In VA group, the expression of TSLP and Th2 factors were all lowered at the 4th week. The TSLP expression slightly increased at the 5th week, and the cell proliferation within T-cell zone of spleen and thymus was strong at first and weakened later. Alveolar microphages (AM) increased significantly and the inflammation in the lung subsided gradually at the 5th week. In the hormone group, TSLP and Th2 factors expression in both thymus and lung were decreased at the 5th week, while the cell proliferation in thymus and lung was gradually increased. The quantity of AM was decreased, whereas the inflammation of the lung was increased gradually at the 5th week.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>During asthmatic period elevated TSLP expression was accompanied by Th2 type responses while VA and corticosteroid both suppressed TSLP and Th2 factors expression. VA alone promoted T lymphocyte proliferation as well as the antigen elimination function by AM, after ceasing the usage, the lung inflammation abated gradually. In contrast, after ceasing the use of corticosteroid, inflammation aggravated.</p>

Effects of inhaled budesonide on the bronchial-pulmonary pathology and expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin in lung tissues in asthmatic rats / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) plays an important role in initiating dendritic cell mediated allergic inflammation. This study was designed to examine the effects of inhaled budesonide on TSLP expression in the lung tissues and on the bronchial-pulmonary pathology in asthmatic rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-two female Sprague-Dawley rats were sensitized and challenged with inhaled ovalbumin (OVA) to induce asthma. The asthmatic rats were randomly divided into 2 groups on the 22nd day of OVA challenge: a budesonide treatment group that received inhaled budesonide at 0.32 mg/kg daily for 7 days and an asthma control group that received inhaled 0.9% normal saline for 7 days. TSLP expression in the lung tissues was measured by Western blot and fluorescent-immunohistochemistry 29 and 36 days after OVA challenge. Bronchial-pulmonary pathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin & eosin and periodic acid-schiff staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Budesonide treatment alleviated airway inflammation when compared with the asthma control group 29 days after OVA challenge. However, the airway inflammatory reactions were aggravated in the budesonide treatment group 36 days after OVA challenge (7 days after budesonide discontinuance). TSLP expression in the lung tissues was significantly lower in the budesonide treatment group than that in the asthma control group both 29 and 36 days after OVA challenge (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Inhaled budesonide can inhibit the TSLP expression in the lung tissues and alleviate lung inflammatory reactions in asthmatic rats, but there is end-of-dose failure.</p>