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04:33
Methods for Detecting Cough and Airway Inflammation in Mice
Published on: August 2, 2024
Occupational, environmental, and irritant-induced cough.
1Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. sbrooks@hsc.usf.edu
Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America
|February 23, 2010
Summary
Occupational irritants can trigger chronic cough by affecting the respiratory tract. Research suggests transient receptor potential (TRP) channels may play a role in this cough reflex.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Medicine
- Toxicology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Occupational and environmental irritants are implicated in chronic cough.
- Chemically induced respiratory irritation involves inflammatory changes and neurogenic alterations.
- Cough reflexes evolved for distinct protective functions, utilizing shared neural and muscular pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of irritants in the pathogenesis of chronic cough.
- To investigate the evolutionary basis and mechanisms of cough reflexes.
- To examine the potential involvement of transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels in chronic cough.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on respiratory tract irritation and cough reflexes.
- Analysis of the evolutionary development of mechanosensory and chemosensory cough reflexes.
- Discussion of the role of TRP channels (TRPV1 and TRPA1) in chemosensory cough.
Main Results:
- Irritants cause reversible inflammatory changes and neurogenic alterations in the respiratory tract.
- Two types of cough reflexes, mechanosensory and chemosensory, evolved for different protective purposes.
- TRP channels TRPV1 and TRPA1 are activated or hyperactivated in response to lung injury, inflammation, or chemical exposure, potentially contributing to cough.
Conclusions:
- Occupational and environmental irritants are significant factors in chronic cough development.
- TRP channels are key players in the chemosensory cough reflex, particularly in response to irritants and lung injury.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the role of TRP channels in human chronic cough.
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