Increased expression of G alpha q protein in bronchial smooth muscle of mice with allergic bronchial asthma.
In the present study, the change in Gq protein level in bronchial smooth muscle of mice with antigen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) was determined. BALB/c mice were actively sensitized and repeatedly challenged with ovalbumin antigen to induce bronchial smooth muscle hyperresponsiveness. The contraction induced by 10 microM AlF4(-) (generated by 10 microM AlCl3 plus 10 mM NaF) of bronchial smooth muscles isolated from the antigen-challenged mice was significantly augmented as compared with that from the control animals. The G alpha q protein level determined by immunoblotting was also significantly increased in bronchial smooth muscles of the antigen-challenged group. Thus, an upregulation of G alpha q protein may be involved in the pathogenesis of bronchial smooth muscle hyperresponsiveness, one of the causes of AHR in asthmatics.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Hoshi University, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan. chiba@hoshi.ac.jp
Yoshihiko
Y
Chiba
Koji
K
Shinozaki
Ayako
A
Ueno
Hiroyasu
H
Sakai
Miwa
M
Misawa
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005459:Fluorides; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism*
D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11; D005459:Fluorides; C032311:aluminum fluoride