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American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology2012; 47(5); 589-596; doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2011-0363OC

Corticosteroids and antigen avoidance decrease airway smooth muscle mass in an equine asthma model.

Abstract: Recent studies suggest that airway smooth muscle remodeling is an early event in the course of asthma. Little is known of the effects of long-term antigen avoidance and inhaled corticosteroids on chronically established airway remodeling. We sought to measure the effects of inhaled corticosteroids and antigen avoidance on airway remodeling in the peripheral airways of horses with heaves, a naturally occurring asthma-like disease. Heaves-affected adult horses with ongoing airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction were treated with fluticasone propionate (with and without concurrent antigen avoidance) (n = 6) or with antigen avoidance alone (n = 5). Lung function and bronchoalveolar lavage were performed at multiple time points, and peripheral lung biopsies were collected before and after 6 and 12 months of treatment. Lung function improved more quickly with inhaled corticosteroids, but eventually normalized in both groups. Inflammation was better controlled with antigen avoidance. During the study period, corrected smooth muscle mass decreased from 12.1 ± 2.8 × 10(-3) and 11.3 ± 1.2 × 10(-3) to 8.3 ± 1.4 × 10(-3) and 7.9 ± 1.0 × 10(-3) in the antigen avoidance and fluticasone groups, respectively (P = 0.03). At 6 months, smooth muscle mass was significantly smaller compared with baseline only in the fluticasone-treated animals. The subepithelial collagen area was lower at 12 months than at baseline in both groups. During the study period, airway smooth muscle remodeling decreased by approximately 30% in both groups, although the decrease was faster in horses receiving inhaled corticosteroids. Inhaled corticosteroids may accelerate the reversal of smooth muscle remodeling, even if airway inflammation is better controlled with antigen avoidance.
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Publication Date: 2012-06-21 PubMed ID: 22721832DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2011-0363OCGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study investigated the effect of long-term antigen avoidance and inhaled corticosteroids on airway remodeling in horses suffering from heaves, a disease similar to asthma in humans. The research determined that both these treatments reduced airway inflammation and facilitated lung function improvement. However, inhaled corticosteroids faster influenced the reduction of airway smooth muscle mass—an early indicator of asthma development.

Introductory Framework of The Study

  • This research investigates the nature of heaves in horses, which mirrors the symptoms and reactions seen in human asthma. This study provides crucial insight into chronic asthma treatment approaches.
  • The primary focus of the researchers was to determine the effects of antigen avoidance and consumption of inhaled corticosteroids on established chronic airway remodeling.
  • The link between asthma-like diseases and the architecture of airway smooth muscle was taken as the core aspect to analyse the treatment’s effectiveness.

Research Design and Implementation

  • The researchers adopted a comparative approach by observing two groups of adult horses affected by heaves. One group received corticosteroids (fluticasone propionate) treatment, with or without antigen avoidance. The other group underwent antigen avoidance alone.
  • A series of lung function tests, bronchoalveolar lavage, and peripheral lung biopsies were performed at multiple stages (before and after 6 and 12 months of treatment) to track the diseases progression and the effectiveness of the interventions.

Key Findings from the Study

  • The administration of inhaled corticosteroids showed quicker improvement of lung function, despite eventually normalizing in both groups. This indicates that inhaled corticosteroids might have immediate beneficial effects on lung functionality.
  • On the other hand, antigen avoidance was found significantly more effective at controlling inflammation.
  • The fluticasone-treated animals showed a significant decrease in smooth muscle mass at the 6-month interval compared to initial states. Such change was not observed in the antigen avoidance group at the same time.
  • Both groups showed a decrease in the subepithelial collagen area at 12 months compared to the baseline.
  • Overall, both treatments reduced airway smooth muscle remodelling by approximately 30% during the study period, although it was faster in horses receiving inhaled corticosteroids.

Research Conclusions

  • The significant findings of this research suggest that inhaled corticosteroids may play a vital role in reversing the process of airway smooth muscle remodeling, despite airway inflammation being better controlled with antigen avoidance.
  • The applicability of these findings to human asthma remains to be proven through further research, but the potential of these insights can help to inform future asthma treatment strategies.

Cite This Article

APA
Leclere M, Lavoie-Lamoureux A, Joubert P, Relave F, Setlakwe EL, Beauchamp G, Couture C, Martin JG, Lavoie JP. (2012). Corticosteroids and antigen avoidance decrease airway smooth muscle mass in an equine asthma model. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol, 47(5), 589-596. https://doi.org/10.1165/rcmb.2011-0363OC

Publication

American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology
ISSN: 1535-4989
NlmUniqueID: 8917225
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 47
Issue: 5
Pages: 589-596

Researcher Affiliations

Leclere, Mathilde
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
Lavoie-Lamoureux, Anouk
    Joubert, Philippe
      Relave, Fabien
        Setlakwe, Emilie Lanctot
          Beauchamp, Guy
            Couture, Christian
              Martin, James G
                Lavoie, Jean-Pierre

                  MeSH Terms

                  • Administration, Inhalation
                  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / administration & dosage
                  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / pharmacology
                  • Airway Remodeling / drug effects
                  • Airway Resistance
                  • Androstadienes / administration & dosage
                  • Androstadienes / pharmacology
                  • Animals
                  • Antigens, Plant / immunology
                  • Asthma / drug therapy
                  • Asthma / immunology
                  • Asthma / pathology
                  • Asthma / veterinary
                  • Bronchioles / immunology
                  • Bronchioles / pathology
                  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
                  • Bronchodilator Agents / administration & dosage
                  • Bronchodilator Agents / pharmacology
                  • Cell Proliferation
                  • Collagen / metabolism
                  • Cytokines / metabolism
                  • Fluticasone
                  • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
                  • Horse Diseases / immunology
                  • Horse Diseases / pathology
                  • Horses
                  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
                  • Lung / drug effects
                  • Lung / pathology
                  • Lung / physiopathology
                  • Monocytes / metabolism
                  • Muscle, Smooth / pathology
                  • Organ Size / drug effects
                  • Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / metabolism
                  • Respiratory Function Tests
                  • Respiratory Mucosa / metabolism
                  • Respiratory Mucosa / pathology
                  • Treatment Outcome

                  Grant Funding

                  • MIF79636 / Canadian Institutes of Health Research

                  Citations

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