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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

A Reversible, Non-invasive Method for Airway Resistance Measurements and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Sampling in Mice
Published on: April 14, 2010
Association between nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity and superoxide anion production by polymorphonuclear
T E Renkema1, D S Postma, J A Noordhoek
1Department of Pulmonology, State University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Inflammatory reactions are believed to be important in nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR). To investigate the potential role for oxidant-mediated modulation of BHR, we investigated oxidative metabolism of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from the peripheral blood in 28 nonallergic patients with chronic airflow obstruction (CAO). No difference in O2- generation was found between 14 smokers and 14 ex-smokers with CAO. A significant correlation was found between the degree of BHR and O2- generation of PMN after stimulation with 20 ng/ml phorbol myristate acetate, both in smokers (r = 0.59, p less than 0.01) and in ex-smokers (r = 0.79, p less than 0.01). The results suggest that oxygen radicals in a direct or indirect way may modulate BHR. Thus, in nonallergic patients with CAO, BHR and inflammation may be linked in a similar way as in allergic patients with asthma.
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