Antigen sensitization does not alter response of guinea-pig lung strips to noradrenaline

Guinea-pigs were sensitized to ovalbumin by an intraperitoneal injection, followed 3 weeks later by daily aerosol exposure for 4 weeks. Noradrenaline-induced contractions of peripheral lung strips from sensitized and unsensitized guinea-pigs were compared. There were no differences in sensitized or unsensitized strips with respect to maximal tension generated, concentration of noradrenaline for threshold or maximal responses or EC50. These results suggest that any changes in the population of alpha-adrenoceptors consequent upon immunological sensitization did not influence contractile responses to noradrenaline.