ag-879 and Bronchial-Spasm

We have previously demonstrated that the administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) to guinea-pigs results in airway hyper-responsiveness within 1 h.. In the present study we document the involvement of NGF in the acute allergic airway response.. Guinea-pigs that are sensitized to ovalbumin show an acute bronchoconstriction directly after challenge with ovalbumin.. Intratracheal application of 10 microg of antibodies directed against NGF (anti-NGF) 1 h before the challenge reduces the acute severe bronchoconstriction to approximately 40% and the sustained bronchoconstriction to approximately 20% of the reaction in controls. This shows a high potency of anti-NGF in diminishing the direct bronchoconstriction. Inhibition of the tyrosine kinases of the tyrosine kinase receptor A, the high-affinity receptor for NGF, has no effect on the bronchoconstriction. Therefore, we postulate that the p75, the low-affinity receptor for neurotrophins, is responsible for the acute bronchoconstriction. Our findings suggest a role for NGF in the induction of the acute asthmatic reaction.. These findings offer a new potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Topics: Acute Disease; Allergens; Animals; Antibodies; Bronchial Spasm; Enzyme Inhibitors; Guinea Pigs; Male; Nerve Growth Factor; Ovalbumin; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Trachea; Tyrphostins