tetrodotoxin and Asthma

Cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory effects and can produce bronchodilation in the airways. We have investigated the effects of cannabinoids on tracheal hyperreactivity and airway inflammation in dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced experimental non-atopic asthma in mice. 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced contraction response was enhanced while carbachol- and electrical field stimulation-induced contractions, and isoprenaline-induced relaxation responses were remained unchanged in DNFB group. The increased 5-HT-induced contractions were inhibited by incubation with either atropine or tetrodotoxin. DNFB application resulted in increased macrophage number in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). In vivo ACEA (CB1 agonist) treatment prevented the increase in 5-HT contractions, while JWH133 (CB2 agonist) had no effect. However, neither ACEA nor JWH133 prevented the increase in macrophage number in BALF. In vitro ACEA incubation also inhibited the increase in 5-HT contraction in DNFB group. These results show that cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist can prevent tracheal hyperreactivity to 5-HT in DNFB-induced non-atopic asthma in mice.

Topics: Acetylcholine; Animals; Anti-Asthmatic Agents; Asthma; Atropine; Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists; Cannabinoids; Carbachol; Dinitrofluorobenzene; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electric Stimulation; Female; Macrophages; Mice; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2; Serotonin; Tetrodotoxin; Trachea

When neostigmine is used to reverse muscle relaxants in patients with asthma without signs of airway inflammation, asthma attack is occasionally encountered. It is likely that abnormally increased electrical impulses traveling from the brain through cholinergic nerves to airway smooth muscles may be one of the pathogeneses of asthma attack. We applied continuous electrical field stimulation (c-EFS) or continuous electrical stimulation (c-ES) of low frequency to the vagal nerve of the rat in vitro and in vivo to determine the role of cholinergic nerve activation in inducing airway constriction.. Fifty-seven male Wistar rats were used. In an in vitro study we examined whether tetrodotoxin (TTX), an Na(+)-channel blocker, 4-DAMP, a muscarinic M(3) receptor antagonist, or neostigmine could affect c-EFS-induced contraction of the tracheal ring. In an in vivo study, we examined whether c-ES of the vagal nerve could increase maximum airway pressure (P (max)) and whether neostigmine could potentiate c-ES-induced P (max).. TTX and 4-DAMP completely inhibited c-EFS-induced contraction whereas neostigmine potentiated c-EFS-induced contraction dose-dependently. P (max) was not increased by neostigmine. P (max) was not increased by 2-Hz c-ES, but was increased by the addition of neostigmine. P (max) was increased by 5-Hz c-ES, and further increased by the addition of neostigmine.. The contractile response of the tracheal ring to c-EFS is potentiated by neostigmine. P (max) is increased by c-ES of the vagal nerve, and is potentiated by neostigmine. These data suggest that increased activity of the cholinergic nerve could be involved in asthma attack.

Topics: Animals; Asthma; Bronchoconstriction; Electric Stimulation; Male; Neostigmine; Parasympathomimetics; Piperidines; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Tetrodotoxin; Trachea

Brevetoxin (PbTx), taken from the earlier species name Ptychodiscus brevis, is a red algae toxin. It has been associated with clinically observed bronchoconstriction in nonasthmatics. In asthmatics, similar exposures may produce severe transient effects, sometimes requiring emergency treatment, thus suggesting that asthmatics are more sensitive to this toxin. As such, we have investigated potential mechanisms in vitro.. Membrane potentials of in vitro airway smooth muscle (ASM) preparations were measured with a microelectrode before, during, and after the exposure to PbTx (0.01-1.2 microg/mL) in strip preparations (SPs) and cultured ASM reaggregate preparations. The latter preparation results in the disruption of normal peripheral nervous ASM associations through enzymatic dissociation of cells.. We observed an increased level of depolarization in asthmatic preparations at the same level of exposure. Exposure to PbTx produced concentration-dependent depolarization in both nonasthmatic and asthmatic in vitro SPs. In the former, responses did not occur in the presence of the blocking agents such as atropine or tetrodotoxin (TTX). In asthmatic SPs, atropine and TTX produced little effect, whereas verapamil blocked the PbTx-induced depolarization. The toxin was without effect in nonasthmatic cultured cells, whereas acetylcholine produced depolarization that was blocked in the presence of atropine, but not TTX or verapamil. In contrast, the toxin produced significant depolarization in cultured asthmatic ASM cells, which were unaffected by either atropine or TTX but were blocked by verapamil.. We propose that PbTx directly affects asthmatic ASM whereas the effect is neurally mediated in nonasthmatics.

Topics: Acetylcholine; Adult; Asthma; Atropine; Bronchoconstriction; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Marine Toxins; Membrane Potentials; Microelectrodes; Muscle, Smooth; Tetrodotoxin; Verapamil; Young Adult

Although the importance of the vagal nerve in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma has been reported, its precise contribution is still not fully understood. To shed more light on this area, we evaluated the possible contribution of vagal reflex in histamine-induced bronchoconstriction (HIB), and decided the site of action of histamine on the vagal nerve. For this purpose, we studied the effects of the bilateral cervical vagotomy, hexamethonium (2 mg.kg-1) or tetrodotoxin (0.5 mg.kg-1) on HIB (8 micrograms.kg-1, iv) in anaesthetized and mechanically-ventilated guinea-pigs. We also studied whether or not atropine (1 mg.kg-1) decreases HIB after vagotomy, including either the treatment of hexamethonium or tetrodotoxin. Airway responses were assessed by measurement of pulmonary resistance. The following results were obtained; 1) the response to histamine was significantly enhanced by the vagotomy, hexamethonium or tetrodotoxin; 2) propranolol increased HIB, and HIB was further enhanced by the vagotomy in the animals treated with propranolol; 3) atropine significantly suppressed HIB after the vagotomy, hexamethonium or tetrodotoxin. These results suggest that the postganglionic vagal nerve plays an excitatory role in HIB through the release of acetylcholine from the nerve terminals. It is also suggested that the vagal reflex mainly exhibits an inhibitory role in the HIB of guinea-pigs, presumably by the action of the nonadrenergic inhibitory nervous system.

Topics: Animals; Asthma; Atropine; Bronchoconstriction; Female; Ganglionic Blockers; Guinea Pigs; Hexamethonium; Hexamethonium Compounds; Histamine; Male; Reflex; Tetrodotoxin; Vagotomy; Vagus Nerve

1 Electrical and mechanical properties of smooth muscle cells or of neuro-effector transmission in the smooth muscle layer of the dog trachea, were studied after treatment with indomethacin, by means of the double sucrose gap, microelectrode or tension recording methods. 2 After several subcutaneous injections of indomethacin (1.0 mg/kg daily), 6 out of 12 dogs were coughing and wheezing. 3 Smooth muscle tissues dissected from the trachea of the coughing dog showed spontaneous electrical and mechanical activities at the frequency of 8-15 per min. These spontaneous electrical and mechanical activities were completely suppressed by treatment with atropine (10(-6) M), isoprenaline (5 X 10(-7) M) or prostaglandin E2 (10(-9) M) but not by tetrodotoxin (1.5 X 10(-6) M). 4 Direct muscle stimulation induced oscillatory potential changes followed by tension development in the trachea of the indomethacin-treated dog. 5 In the indomethacin-treated dog, mean membrane potential of the tracheal smooth muscle cells was -52.4 mV, and in the control trachea, the potential was -59.0 mV. 6 In the trachea from control dogs, the amplitude of test e.j.ps after conditioning e.j.ps was always smaller than the conditioning e.j.p., at any time interval between the two stimuli. In the trachea from indomethacin-treated dogs, facilitation phenomena were observed. 7 In the trachea from the indomethacin-treated dog, prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) or PGE2 (10(-10)-10(-9) M) markedly suppressed the amplitude of the e.j.p. but did not affect the facilitation phenomenon. 8 These results indicate that endogenous prostaglandins play important physiological roles in the feed-back inhibitory mechanisms for acetylcholine release from the nerve terminals during the resting and active states. 9 The results are also discussed in relation to the genesis of aspirin-induced asthma in man.

Topics: Animals; Aspirin; Asthma; Atropine; Disease Models, Animal; Dogs; Female; Indomethacin; Male; Muscle Contraction; Muscle, Smooth; Neuroeffector Junction; Tetrodotoxin; Trachea