Mediators of immediate-type hypersensitivity in sputum from patients with chronic bronchitis and asthma.
Mediators of immediate-type hypersensitivity were studied in the sputum of patients with chronic bronchitis. The same mediators were also measured in early-onset, skin-test-positive asthmatics, in late-onset, skin-test-negative asthmatics, and in patients with bronchial carcinoma, bronchiectasis, and pneumonia. Sputum eosinophilia was a feature of bronchitics and asthmatics, whereas raised blood eosinophil levels were found only in the early-onset, skin-test-positive asthmatics. Histamine and IgE were present in considerable amounts in the sputum of bronchitics and early-onset, skin-test-positive asthmatics. Smaller amounts were found in the other groups. The sputum in all the groups contained material giving an "S.R.S (slow-reacting substance) like" induced contraction of the guinea pig ileum. "Classical" S.R.S.-A., determined by arylsulphatase IIB susceptibility, was present only in bronchitics and both types of asthmatics. Since the bronchitics were, in general, skin-test negative and had normal concentrations of circulating IgE and eosinophils, it is suggested that the findings in the sputum indicate an element of local immediate-type (type I) hypersensitivity in bronchitis although its significance for pathogenesis is not known.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006632:Histamine / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013189:SRS-A / Q000032:analysis*; D012882:Skin Tests; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
D013189:SRS-A; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006632:Histamine