ovalbumin and vinpocetine

Asthma is a well-known bronchial disease that causes bronchial inflammation, narrowing of the bronchial tubes, and bronchial mucus secretion, leading to bronchial blockade. In this study, we investigated the association between phosphodiesterase (PDE), specifically PDE1, and asthma using 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX; a non-specific PDE inhibitor) and vinpocetine (Vinp; a PDE1 inhibitor). Balb/c mice were randomized to five treatment groups: control, ovalbumin (OVA), OVA + IBMX, OVA + Vinp, and OVA + dexamethasone (Dex). All mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA, except for the control group. IBMX, Vinp, or Dex was intraperitoneally administered 1 h before the challenge. Vinp treatment significantly inhibited the increase in airway hyper-responsiveness (P<0.001) and reduced the number of inflammatory cells, particularly eosinophils, in the lungs (P<0.01). It also ameliorated the damage to the bronchi and alveoli and decreased the OVA-specific IgE levels in serum, an indicator of allergic inflammation increased by OVA (P<0.05). Furthermore, the increase in interleukin-13, a known Th2 cytokine, was significantly decreased by Vinp (P<0.05), and Vinp regulated the release and mRNA expression of macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β) increased by OVA (P<0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that PDE1 is associated with allergic lung inflammation induced by OVA. Thus, PDE1 inhibitors can be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of asthma.

Topics: 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Asthma; Chemokine CCL4; Dexamethasone; Disease Models, Animal; Down-Regulation; Gene Expression Regulation; Lung; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Ovalbumin; Random Allocation; Vinca Alkaloids

1. The aims of this study were to determine which phosphodiesterase (PDE) isoenzymes are involved in the control of eosinophil accumulation in the airways of ovalbumin (OVA)-immunized guinea-pigs by the use of isoenzyme selective inhibitors and to compare the effects of acute versus chronic administration of PDE isozyme inhibitors on pulmonary cell influx in ovalbumin-immunized guinea-pigs. 2. Guinea-pigs were sensitized and subsequently challenged with aerosolized OVA. Twenty four hours later bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed to permit assessment of inflammatory cell accumulation. A significant increase in the number of eosinophils was observed in the lavage fluid from OVA-immunized (13.6 +/- 1.4 x 10(4) ml-1 in acute experiments and 10.1 +/- 1.4 x 10(4) ml-1 in chronic experiments) animals compared with sham-treated controls (5.6 +/- 0.6 x 10(4) ml-1 in acute experiments and 5.1 +/- 0.6 x 10(4) ml-1 in chronic experiments). There was no difference in neutrophil, mononuclear cell or total cell numbers between the two groups. 3. Acute administration of a high dose of selective and non-selective PDE inhibitors by the i.p. route had no significant effect on eosinophil accumulation in the airways. 4. Chronic administration of a low dose (3 mg kg-1, i.p., twice daily for 7 days) of the type IV PDE inhibitor, RO 20-1724, and the PDE III/IV inhibitor, zardaverine, produced a significant inhibition of eosinophil accumulation (46% and 59% respectively). 5. These results suggest that the type IV PDE isoenzyme plays a role in the control of allergen-induced eosinophil infiltration into the airways, but indicate that a period of low dose chronic treatment with a type IV or mixed type III/IV PDE inhibitor is necessary for eosinophil accumulation in the airways to be reduced.

Topics: 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; Allergens; Animals; Guinea Pigs; Inflammation; Male; Ovalbumin; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; Pulmonary Alveoli; Vinca Alkaloids