title: [Relationship between Hes-1 and airway inflammation and remodeling in a rat model of asthma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the changes of Hes-1, the target gene of Notch signaling pathway, and its relationship with airway inflammation and remodeling in a rat model of asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into an asthma group and a control group. The rats in the asthma group were sensitized and challenged by ovalbumin (OVA), and normal saline was used in the control group. Two groups were further divided into 3 subgroups according to time points after challenging, i.e. 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks (n=8 rats each). Pathological changes of lungs were observed by light microscopy and the thickness of bronchial smooth muscle layer (Wam) was measured. The levels of IL-4 and INF-γ in rat serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) were measured using ELISA. Expression levels of Hes-1 protein and mRNA were determined by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Together with the extension of challenging, the Wam of rats in the asthma group increased, a decrease of INF-γ level and an increase of IL-4 level in serum and BALF were also observed, and the differences were statistically significant compared with those in the corresponding control group (P<0.05). Hes-1 protein and mRNA levels also increased gradually after OVA challenging and were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of Hes-1 protein and mRNA were positively correlated with Wam and IL-4 in serum and BALF, but were inversely correlated with INF-γ in serum and BALF (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of Hes-1 protein and mRNA increased, which were closely related with the levels of airway inflammatory factors and remodeling of airway smooth muscle. Hes-1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. chenln66@163.com.
authors.forename: Ba-Cuo-Zhen
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Qiang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Han-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhi-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D056151:Airway Remodeling; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000072056:Transcription Factor HES-1
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D015847:Interleukin-4; D000072056:Transcription Factor HES-1; C489735:Hes1 protein, rat