AJ Ammit, SS Bekir, PR Johnson, JM Hughes, CL Armour and JL Black
Department of Pharmacology, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

The aim of this study was to examine the process underlying the increase in responsiveness of human bronchus related to sensitization status by examining inflammatory cells in sensitized and nonsensitized tissue. Sensitization status was determined in tissue from 26 subjects by detecting the presence or absence of contraction of bronchial rings to common Australian allergens. Serial sections (6-micron) of bronchial tissue were stained for mast cells, T lymphocytes, and eosinophils. There was no significant difference between the total number of inflammatory cells present in all locations (to a depth of 0.5 mm) of nonsensitized (n = 14) and sensitized (n = 12) bronchi. Similar numbers of cells were present in the two patient groups in epithelium, lamina propria, and adventitia. In contrast, there were significantly (p = 0.03) more inflammatory cells present within the smooth muscle of sensitized bronchi. A significantly (p = 0.04) greater number of mast cells in sensitized (9 [2-14]) versus nonsensitized (2[0-8]) tissue was found in this location (data are median with first and third quartile range). In addition there was a trend toward a greater area of smooth muscle in sensitized tissue. There results suggest that an interaction between smooth muscle and inflammatory cells, especially mast cells, may play a role in bronchial hyperresponsiveness in vitro.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Siddiqui, F. Hollins, S. Saha, and C. E. Brightling Inflammatory cell microlocalisation and airway dysfunction: cause and effect? Eur. Respir. J., December 1, 2007; 30(6): 1043 - 1056. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. Ammit, L. M. Moir, B. G. Oliver, J. M. Hughes, H. Alkhouri, Q. Ge, J. K. Burgess, J. L. Black, and M. Roth Effect of IL-6 trans-signaling on the pro-remodeling phenotype of airway smooth muscle Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): L199 - L206. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Carroll, N. G. Carroll, and A. L. James Do bronchial biopsies represent mast cell density in airways? A stereological study Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2006; 28(3): 612 - 621. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Matsushima, A. Takahashi, Y. Nakaya, H. Maezawa, M. Miki, Y. Nakamura, F. Ohgushi, and S. Yasuoka Human airway trypsin-like protease stimulates human bronchial fibroblast proliferation in a protease-activated receptor-2-dependent pathway Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, February 1, 2006; 290(2): L385 - L395. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S.C. Cavalher-Machado, W. T. de Lima, A.S. Damazo, V. de Frias Carvalho, M.A. Martins, P.M.R. e Silva, and P. Sannomiya Down-regulation of mast cell activation and airway reactivity in diabetic rats: role of insulin Eur. Respir. J., October 1, 2004; 24(4): 552 - 558. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Berger, F. Laurent, H. Begueret, V. Perot, R. Rouiller, C. Raherison, M. Molimard, R. Marthan, and J. M. Tunon-de-Lara Structure and Function of Small Airways in Smokers: Relationship between Air Trapping at CT and Airway Inflammation Radiology, July 1, 2003; 228(1): 85 - 94. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. H. Cho, Z. Yao, S.-W. Wang, R. F. Alban, R. G. Barbers, S. W. French, and C. K. Oh Regulation of Activin A Expression in Mast Cells and Asthma: Its Effect on the Proliferation of Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells J. Immunol., April 15, 2003; 170(8): 4045 - 4052. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. F. Xu, R. Vlahos, A. Messina, T. L. Bamford, J. F. Bertram, and A. G. Stewart Antigen-induced airway inflammation in the Brown Norway rat results in airway smooth muscle hyperplasia J Appl Physiol, November 1, 2002; 93(5): 1833 - 1840. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Freund, F. Pons, V. Joly, E. Mathieu, N. Martinet, and N. Frossard Upregulation of nerve growth factor expression by human airway smooth muscle cells in inflammatory conditions Eur. Respir. J., August 1, 2002; 20(2): 458 - 463. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N G Carroll, S Mutavdzic, and A L James Increased mast cells and neutrophils in submucosal mucous glands and mucus plugging in patients with asthma Thorax, August 1, 2002; 57(8): 677 - 682. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. E. Brightling, P. Bradding, F. A. Symon, S. T. Holgate, A. J. Wardlaw, and I. D. Pavord Mast-Cell Infiltration of Airway Smooth Muscle in Asthma N. Engl. J. Med., May 30, 2002; 346(22): 1699 - 1705. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Black The Role of Mast Cells in the Pathophysiology of Asthma N. Engl. J. Med., May 30, 2002; 346(22): 1742 - 1743. [Full Text] [PDF]

				N.G. Carroll, S. Mutavdzic, and A.L. James Distribution and degranulation of airway mast cells in normal and asthmatic subjects Eur. Respir. J., May 1, 2002; 19(5): 879 - 885. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Page, A. J. Ammit, J. L. Black, and C. L. Armour Human mast cell and airway smooth muscle cell interactions: implications for asthma Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, December 1, 2001; 281(6): L1313 - L1323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. S. Chambers, J. L. Black, P. Poronnik, and P. R. A. Johnson Functional effects of protease-activated receptor-2 stimulation on human airway smooth muscle Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, December 1, 2001; 281(6): L1369 - L1378. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. BLACK, M. ROTH, J. LEE, S. CARLIN, and P. R. A. JOHNSON Mechanisms of Airway Remodeling . Airway Smooth Muscle Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 15, 2001; 164(10): S63 - 66. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Berger, D.-W. Perng, H. Thabrew, S. J. Compton, J. A Cairns, A. R. McEuen, R. Marthan, J.-M. Tunon De Lara, and A. F. Walls Tryptase and agonists of PAR-2 induce the proliferation of human airway smooth muscle cells J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2001; 91(3): 1372 - 1379. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Berger, J. M. Tunon-De-Lara, J.-P. Savineau, and R. Marthan Signal Transduction in Smooth Muscle: Selected Contribution: Tryptase-induced PAR-2-mediated Ca2+ signaling in human airway smooth muscle cells J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2001; 91(2): 995 - 1003. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. E. BRIGHTLING, R. WARD, G. WOLTMANN, P. BRADDING, J. R. SHELLER, R. DWORSKI, and I. D. PAVORD Induced Sputum Inflammatory Mediator Concentrations in Eosinophilic Bronchitis and Asthma Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., September 1, 2000; 162(3): 878 - 882. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. L. BLACK and P. R. A. JOHNSON What Determines Asthma Phenotype? Is It the Interaction between Allergy and the Smooth Muscle? Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., March 1, 2000; 161(3): S207 - 210. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. AMMIT, C. L. ARMOUR, and J. L. BLACK Smooth-Muscle Myosin Light-Chain Kinase Content Is Increased in Human Sensitized Airways Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 1, 2000; 161(1): 257 - 263. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				O. GHAFFAR, Q. HAMID, P. M. RENZI, Z. ALLAKHVERDI, S. MOLET, J. C. HOGG, S. A. SHORE, A. D. LUSTER, and B. LAMKHIOUED Constitutive and Cytokine-Stimulated Expression of Eotaxin by Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 1, 1999; 159(6): 1933 - 1942. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. BERGER, A. F. WALLS, R. MARTHAN, and J.M. T.-d. LARA Immunoglobulin E-induced Passive Sensitization of Human Airways . An Immunohistochemical Study Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., February 1, 1997; 157(2): 610 - 616. [Abstract] [Full Text]