Résumé
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The leukotriene (LT) receptor antagonist is subject to an on-going study of allergic rhinitis, nasal polyposis and chronic paranasal sinusitis. This study was designed to evaluate the change of nasal patency and morphological changes by assessing the role of 4-oxo-8-benzopyren-hemihydrate (ONO-1078, BH), a cysLT1 receptor antagonist to treatment of allergic rhinitis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Sixty-five guinea pigs (GPs) were divided into 3 groups: 15 for the control group, 25 for sensitized GPs group and 25 for nonsensitized GPs group. Sensitized GPs were actively sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of 10 mug DNP-As containing 1 mL Al (OH)3 and booster injections were given intraperitoneally 2, 4 and 6 weeks after the initial immunization. Measurements of nasal volume were made by acoustic rhinometry. Also transmission electron microscopy was performed to investigate ultrastructural changes of the nasal mucosal membrane in the LTD4 administrated GPs and the BH treated GPs. RESULTS: Acoustic rhinometry revealed that the changes of nasal volume showed significant reduction at 30 minutes and 6 hours after instillation of LTD4 in nonsensitized guinea pigs (GPs). However, neither nonsensitized nor sensitized GPs with systemic administration of BH showed any changes in nasal patency. Many neutrophils and eosinophils were seen in perivascular space after local administration of LTD4 in control GPs. However there are no eosinophil infiltration into the subepithelial space in BH treated GPs in both nonsensitized and sensitized group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that BH might be a potent LT receptor antagonist in the allergic model of GPs, which reduces nasal blockage and block chemotaxis of eosinophils to the mucous membrane of the nose.