title: Correlation of c-fos protein expression with neuropeptide content in the lung of bronchial asthmatic rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate and analyze the correlation between the c-fos protein expression and neuropeptide content in the lung of bronchial asthmatic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two (32) SD rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups of the normal control, the non-acute asthma, the acute asthma and the dexamethasone intervention. Immunohistochemistry was performed for histological observation, and substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentrations in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  SP concentration in the alveolar lavage of asthmatic rat was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (P < 0.0001), whereas VIP concentration was significantly lower (P < 0.0001). The optical density of c-fos protein in the lung tissues of groups of the non-acute asthma, the acute asthma and the dexamethasone intervention was positively correlated with SP concentration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (r = 0.908, r = 0.967, r = 0.865), and negatively correlated with the VIP concentration in the alveolar lavage (r = -0.974, r = -0.949, r = -0.962).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The c-fos protein expression and neuropeptide content in the lungs of asthmatic rats are related with asthma attacks.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710004, China.
authors: Haiyan
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710061, China.
authors: Xudong
authors: X
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710004, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Hou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009479:Neuropeptides; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide
keywords: Bronchial asthma; c-fos protein; neuropeptides