Dexamethasone reduces lung eosinophilia, and VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression induced by Sephadex beads in rats.

Abstract

Airway eosinophilia is one of the key pathophysiologic features in asthma. The endothelial adhesion molecules, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), have previously been shown to play a crucial role in eosinophil recruitment into the inflamed airway. We have investigated the effects of dexamethasone on eosinophilia into the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and the upregulation of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression, measured by immunoblotting, induced by i.v. injection of Sephadex beads into rats. The beads significantly increased the lung eosinophilia, and expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 in the lung. Pretreatment with dexamethasone (0.1 to 2 mg/kg i.p.) strongly inhibited all the airway inflammatory events in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, glucocorticoids may be potent inhibitors of lung eosinophilia, at least in part, due to the prevention of the upregulation of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression.

• Authors: Akemi Ito, Mio Miyake, Masashi Morishita, Komei Ito, Shinpei Torii, Tatsuo Sakamoto
• Journal: European journal of pharmacology (Eur J Pharmacol) Vol. 468 Issue 1 Pg. 59-66 (May 02 2003) ISSN: 0014-2999 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 12729843 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Dextrans
• Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
• Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
• Dexamethasone
• sephadex

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (pharmacology)
• Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (cytology, immunology)
• Dexamethasone (pharmacology)
• Dextrans (toxicity)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Eosinophilia (chemically induced, metabolism, prevention & control)
• Immunoblotting
• Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (immunology, metabolism)
• Leukocyte Count
• Male
• Pneumonia (chemically induced, metabolism, prevention & control)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (immunology, metabolism)