title: Comparison of cough reflex sensitivity after an inhaled antigen challenge between actively and passively sensitized guinea pigs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Late asthmatic response is observed following antigen challenge in actively, but not passively, sensitized guinea pigs. Although cough reflex sensitivity is increased after antigen challenge in actively sensitized guinea pigs, it is unknown whether the antigen-induced increase in cough reflex sensitivity develops in passively sensitized animals. The aim of this study was to compare the cough reflex sensitivity to inhaled capsaicin after an inhaled antigen challenge between actively and passively sensitized guinea pigs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurement of number of coughs elicited by increasing concentrations of capsaicin (10(-6) and 10(-4) M) and bronchial responsiveness to ascending concentrations of methacholine, and analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were separately performed 24 h after an antigen challenge in actively and passively sensitized guinea pigs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Percentage of eosinophils in BALF and bronchial responsiveness to methacholine were increased 24 h after the antigen challenge in both actively and passively sensitized animals compared with saline-challenged actively and passively sensitized animals, respectively. Absolute number of eosinophils in BALF from actively sensitized and antigen-challenged guinea pigs was significantly greater than that from passively sensitized and antigen-challenged animals. Cough response to capsaicin and concentration of substance P in BALF were increased 24 h after the antigen challenge in actively sensitized guinea pigs, but not in passively sensitized guinea pigs. Bronchial responsiveness, cough reflex sensitivity and substance P concentration and total cells in BALF were increased in actively sensitized and saline challenged guinea pigs compared with passively sensitized and saline challenged animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that active sensitization per se increases cough reflex sensitivity accompanied by increased inflammatory cells and substance P level in BALF, and antigen challenge further increases them, while simple IgE- and/or IgG-mediated allergic reaction per se or the low intensity of eosinophil infiltration in the airway itself may not affect cough reflex sensitivity in guinea pigs.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Medicine, Cellular Transplantation Biology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa, 920-8641, Japan. hara@med3.m.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Johsuke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimura
authors.forename: Shigeharu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Myou
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oribe
authors.forename: Shiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furusho
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abo
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohkura
authors.forename: Yoriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Herai
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishiura
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nobata
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Masahide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasui
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakao