Neurokinin A and gene expression in lung of asthmatic guinea pigs exposed to chronic cigarette smoke / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To study the changes of neurokinin A (NKA) and NKA mRNA in lung tissues of asthmatic guinea pigs exposed to chronic cigarette smoke and investigate the mechanism. METHODS: The model of asthma in guinea pigs was made by exposure to aerosolized ovalbumin and animals were randomly assigned into ① inhale cigarette smoke (ICS) 2 weeks before provoked; ② ICS 2 weeks after provoked; ③ 2 weeks after provoked (no-ICS); ④ asthma (no-ICS before provoked); ⑤ normal control. The contents of NKA in lung tissues were detected by ELISA and NKA mRNA expression was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: ① The levels of NKA and NKA mRNA expression in lung tissues of asthma group were significantly higher than those in normal control group (P