Airway responses to the inhalation of cotton dust and cotton bract extracts
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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
An Air-liquid Interface Bronchial Epithelial Model for Realistic, Repeated Inhalation Exposure to Airborne Particles for Toxicity Testing
Published on: May 13, 2020
E Neil Schachter1, Eugenija Zuskin, Marion Buck
1Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA. neil.schachter@mssm.edu
Background:
Exposure to dust in the cotton industry is associated with respiratory dysfunction. Healthy subjects challenged with cotton bract extract (CBE) develop transient airway hyperresponsiveness. CBE, a major component of cotton dust, is potentially an important agent for studying byssinosis.
Objectives:
To compare airway responses to cotton dust extract (CDE) and CBE in healthy subjects.
Methods:
In 21 healthy, non-smoking subjects we compared the effects of CBE and CDE in a double-blind random order, following a 10-min aerosol inhalation. The response to methacholine (MCh) 2 h following CBE or CDE was measured. Lung function was recorded using maximal (MEFV) and partial expiratory flow volume (PEFV) curves, measuring MEF at 60% of baseline vital capacity below total lung capacity [MEF40%(P)] on the PEFV curve. Responders were subjects who developed a 20% or greater fall in MEF40%(P) following extract challenge. Endotoxin levels were low for CBE (5.71 EU/mg) and CDE (31.88 EU/mg).
Results:
There were 18 responders to CBE and 17 responders to CDE. The average maximal falls in MEF40%(P) were 70 +/- 4.9 and 70 +/- 4.4% of baseline (nonsignificant) following CBE and CDE, respectively. All subjects enhanced their MCh response following CBE or CDE. The MCh dose which reduced MEF40%(P) by 40% was identical for CBE and CDE (1.3 microg/ml).
Conclusions:
We conclude that CBE and CDE exert similar physiologic effects.
