title: Effect of pretreatment with heparin on pulmonary and cutaneous response.
abstract: Although anticoagulant properties of glycosaminoglycan heparin are primary in medicine, a variety of other biological functions related to heparin have been suggested. Since heparin is a selective inhibitor of inositol triphosphate (IP3) receptors that are involved in release of calcium in mast cells and many other cells, it is possible that heparin may act as a natural anti-inflammatory molecule and modify these reactions. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the role of heparin in allergic inflammatory responses: the pulmonary reaction and the cutaneous response, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover randomized trial. To evaluate the effect of heparin on methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction, nebulized heparin (20,000 units) was administered to 12 asthmatics and nonspecific challenge was performed immediately thereafter. Measurements of Raw and SGaw were obtained before and 1 hr after nebulization of heparin. In 12 other allergic subjects, heparin (25 U/kg) was given intravenously 10 min before skin prick test. We demonstrated that pretreatment with heparin reduced skin test reactivity from 24.06 +/- 1.2 mm to 18.26 +/- 2.27 mm and increased the methacholine PC20 value from 1.69 +/- 0.48 mg/ml to 8.14 +/- 3.11 mg/ml (p < 0.05), but did not prevent an increase in Raw and/or a decrease in SGaw. Heparin modified the methacholine-induced bronchoconstrictor response, but this did not reflect a protective effect in airway resistance and specific conductance. These data suggest that anti-inflammatory effects of heparin are time-dependent and/or that heparin may have a transient inhibitory role in allergic reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergic Diseases, University of Ankara, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kalpaklioğlu
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Demirel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saryal
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Misirligil
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000737:chemistry; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006632:Histamine; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D008875:Middle Aged; D011292:Premedication; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000737:chemistry; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; C506926:ITPR1 protein, human; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D006632:Histamine; D006493:Heparin