Regulation of lung endothelin content by the glucocorticosteroid budesonide. |
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Authors: | S E Andersson C Zackrisson A Hemsén J M Lundberg |
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Institution: | Pharmacology 1, Astra-Draco AB, Lund, Sweden. |
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Abstract: | Intratracheal instillation of Sephadex beads induced a long-lasting inflammation in the rat lung as seen by an increase in lung weights. Repeated instillation enhanced this reaction and increased lung endothelin-1 content 3.5 times. Budesonide given s.c. abolished these effects and even reduced basal endothelin-1 content by 72%. The tissue content of the sensory neuropeptide neurokinin A were unaffected by both treatments. Endothelin has been proposed to play a part in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. If it is so, the ability of budesonide to reduce endothelin-1 content could thus be added to the list of beneficial effects of glucocorticosteroids in these conditions. |
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