Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 75 (4), 439-442 (1997)


Effect of Human Neutrophil Elastase on Tracheal Mucociliary Transport in Anesthetized Quails

Shusheng Tai (1), Hirofumi Kai (1), Tomoyuki Kido (1), Yoichiro Isohama (1), Kazuo Takahama (2) and Takeshi Miyata (1,*)

(1) Department of Pharmacological Sciences and (2) Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Oe-honmachi 5-1, Kumamoto 862, Japan
(*) To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Abstract: We investigated the effect of human neutrophil elastase (HNE) on tracheal mucociliary transport in anesthetized quails. Topical application of HNE (30 - 300 microg/kg) to tracheal mucosa dose-dependently decreased mucociliary transport velocity (MCTV). The HNE (300 microg/kg)-induced decrease in MCTV was blocked by ONO-5046„Na (sodium N-[2-[4-(2,2-dimethylpropionyloxy)phenyl-sulfonylamino]benzoyl]aminoacetate tetrahydrate) (3 - 30 mg/kg, i.m.), a specific neutrophil elastase inhibitor. Furthermore, we found that HNE increased DNA, fucose and protein contents of tracheal lavages, and the increases were also reverted by ONO-5046„Na. These results indicated that HNE decreased tracheal mucociliary transport, and the decrease may be, at least in part, ascribed to the deterioration of tracheal secretions.

Keywords: Tracheal mucociliary transport, Tracheal secretion, Human neutrophil elastase


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1997

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