Effects of drug treatment on inflammation and hyperreactivity of airways and on immune variables in cats with experimentally induced asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of an orally administered corticosteroid (prednisone), an inhaled corticosteroid (flunisolide), a leukotriene-receptor antagonist (zafirlukast), an antiserotonergic drug (cyproheptadine), and a control substance on the asthmatic phenotype in cats with experimentally induced asthma.


METHODS
6 cats with asthma experimentally induced by the use of Bermuda grass allergen (BGA).


METHODS
A randomized, crossover design was used to assess changes in the percentage of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF); airway hyperresponsiveness; blood lymphocyte phenotype determined by use of flow cytometry; and serum and BALF content of BGA-specific IgE, IgG, and IgA determined by use of ELISAs.


RESULTS
Mean +/- SE eosinophil percentages in BALF when cats were administered prednisone (5.0 +/- 2.3%) and flunisolide (2.5 +/- 1.7%) were significantly lower than for the control treatment (33.7 +/- 11.1%). We did not detect significant differences in airway hyperresponsiveness or lymphocyte surface markers among treatments. Content of BGA-specific IgE in serum was significantly lower when cats were treated with prednisone (25.5 +/- 5.4%), compared with values for the control treatment (63.6 +/- 12.9%); no other significant differences were observed in content of BGA-specific immunoglobulins among treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
Orally administered and inhaled corticosteroids decreased eosinophilic inflammation in airways of cats with experimentally induced asthma. Only oral administration of prednisone decreased the content of BGA-specific IgE in serum; no other significant local or systemic immunologic effects were detected among treatments. Inhaled corticosteroids can be considered as an alternate method for decreasing airway inflammation in cats with asthma.
Reinero
Carol R
CR
Departments of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616-8734, USA.
Decile
Kendra C
KC
Byerly
Jenni R
JR
Berghaus
Roy D
RD
Walby
William E
WE
Berghaus
Londa J
LJ
Hyde
Dallas M
DM
Schelegle
Edward S
ES
Gershwin
Laurel J
LJ
D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001986:Bronchial Spasm / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002415:Cats; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003533:Cyproheptadine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005446:Fluocinolone Acetonide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007211:Indoles; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014105:Tosyl Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007211:Indoles; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014105:Tosyl Compounds; D005446:Fluocinolone Acetonide; D003533:Cyproheptadine; C007734:flunisolide; D011241:Prednisone; C062735:zafirlukast