Abstract: The purpose of the study was to compare in vitro airway responses to neurokinin A & B (NKA and NKB) and expression of NK-2 receptors in airways of horses affected and unaffected with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Neurokinin-A, an inflammatory mediator belonging to the tachykinin family of neuropeptides, causes bronchoconstriction by binding to NK-2 receptors. Neurokinin-B is a lesser-known neuropeptide that acts on NK-3 receptors. Horses were placed into RAO-affected and RAO-unaffected groups based on their history, clinical scoring, and pulmonary function testing. Lung tissue from each lobe was collected for immunohistochemical staining for NK-2 receptors. Cumulative concentration-response relationships were determined on bronchial rings (4-mm wide) collected and prepared from the right diaphragmatic lung lobe to graded concentrations (half log molar concentrations 10(-7)M to 10(-4)M) of NKA and NKB. The results showed that NKA caused significantly greater contraction than NKB in both groups. In RAO-affected horses, both agents produced significantly greater bronchial contractions than those in the RAO-unaffected horses. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the overall NK-2 receptor distribution was significantly increased in bronchial epithelium and smooth muscles of bronchi and pulmonary vessels of RAO-affected than RAO-unaffected horses. The findings indicate that NK-2 receptors are up-regulated in RAO, suggesting that NK-2 receptor antagonists may have some therapeutic value in controlling the progression of airway hyperreactivity in horses affected with RAO. Le but de la présente étude était de comparer les réponses aux neurokinines A & B (NKA et NKB) et l’expression des récepteurs NK-2 dans les voies respiratoires de chevaux affectés et non-affectés d’obstructions récurrentes des voies respiratoires (RAO). NKA est un médiateur neuropeptidique de l’inflammation appartenant à la famille des tachykinines causant une broncho-constriction en se liant aux récepteurs de NK-2. Le regroupement des chevaux selon qu’ils soient affectés ou non de RAO a été effectué sur la base de leur histoire, l’évaluation clinique et des tests de fonctions pulmonaires. Des échantillons de tissu pulmonaire provenant de chaque lobe ont été prélevés pour coloration immuno-histochimique pour les récepteurs de NK-2. Les relations cumulatives concentration-réponse ont été déterminées sur des anneaux bronchiques (4 mm de largeur) prélevés et préparés à partir du lobe pulmonaire diaphragmatique droit à des concentrations graduées (concentrations molaires semi-logarithmiques de 10M à 10M) de NKA et NKB, un neuropeptide moins connu agissant sur les récepteurs NK-3. Les résultats ont montré que NKA cause une contraction significativement plus grande que NKB dans les deux groupes. Chez les chevaux atteints de RAO, les deux agents ont produit une contraction plus importante que les animaux témoins. Une coloration immuno-histochimique a montré que la distribution globale des récepteurs à NK-2 était significativement plus grande dans l’épithélium bronchique et les muscles lisses des bronches et des vaisseaux pulmonaires des chevaux affectés par RAO que de ceux qui n’en sont pas affectés. Ces résultats indiquent que les récepteurs pour NK-2 sont régulés à la hausse lors de RAO, ce qui suggère que des antagonistes pour les récepteurs à NK-2 pourraient avoir une certaine valeur thérapeutique en contrôlant la progression de l’hyperactivité des voies respiratoires chez les chevaux atteints de RAO. (Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier)
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The study explores the difference in airway responses to neurokinin A & B and the expression of NK-2 receptors in horses affected by recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) against those not affected by it, suggesting that NK-2 receptor antagonists could potentially manage the progression of airway overreactivity in RAO-affected horses.
Overview of the Research Procedure
The horses were grouped into RAO-affected and RAO-unaffected groups based on their past records, clinical scoring, and lung function tests.
Lung tissue from each lobe was collected for immunohistochemical staining for NK-2 receptors. This is a technique used to visualize proteins in cells of a tissue, which in this case were the NK-2 receptors involved in bronchoconstriction.
The researchers then determined the cumulative concentration-response relationships on bronchial rings collected and prepared from the right diaphragmatic lung lobe. These were exposed to different graded concentrations of NKA and NKB, neuropeptides involved in inflammation and bronchoconstriction.
Findings of the Study
The results showed that neurokinin A (NKA) induced significantly greater contraction than neurokinin B (NKB) in horses from both the RAO-affected and RAO-unaffected groups.
In RAO-affected horses, both NKA and NKB resulted in significantly greater bronchial contractions than in RAO-unaffected horses.
Immunohistochemical staining revealed a significantly higher distribution of NK-2 receptors in the bronchial epithelium and smooth muscles of bronchi and lung vessels in RAO-affected horses than in the unaffected ones.
Implications of the Study
The findings suggest that NK-2 receptors, which NKA binds to cause bronchoconstriction, are up-regulated in horses affected by RAO.
Therefore, the study implies that antagonists for NK-2 receptors – substances that block the receptors’ activity – might have a therapeutic value in controlling the progression of increased airway sensitivity in horses suffering from RAO.
Cite This Article
APA
Venugopal CS, Holmes EP, Polikepahad S, Laborde S, Kearney M, Moore RM.
(2009).
Neurokinin receptors in recurrent airway obstruction: a comparative study of affected and unaffected horses.
Can J Vet Res, 73(1), 25-33.
Equine Health Studies Program, Departments of Veterinary Clinical Science and Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA. cvenugopal@vetmed.lsu.edu
Holmes, Earnestine P
Polikepahad, Sumanth
Laborde, Susan
Kearney, Michael
Moore, Rustin M
MeSH Terms
Airway Obstruction / pathology
Airway Obstruction / physiopathology
Airway Obstruction / veterinary
Animals
Antibodies / blood
Bronchi / drug effects
Bronchi / physiopathology
Bronchial Hyperreactivity / pathology
Bronchial Hyperreactivity / physiopathology
Bronchial Hyperreactivity / veterinary
Horse Diseases / pathology
Horse Diseases / physiopathology
Horses
Immunohistochemistry
Muscle, Smooth / drug effects
Muscle, Smooth / physiopathology
Neurokinin A / pharmacology
Neurokinin B / pharmacology
Nose / physiopathology
Receptors, Neurokinin-2 / physiology
Recurrence
Respiratory Physiological Phenomena
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