Airway remodelling occurs in chronic asthma. Angiotensin II promotes growth in cardiovascular remodelling. Since the renin-angiotensin system is activated in acute severe asthma, we hypothesized that angiotensin II has a role in airway remodelling. A total of 14 young male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups. All received 2-week infusions of bromodeoxyuridine, and the experimental group also received angiotensin II. Blood pressure rose in the angiotensin II-infused group [mean levels: pre-infusion, 134.9 (S.D. 14.7) mmHg; post-infusion, 197.1 (22.5) mmHg], and expression of renin mRNA in the renal juxtaglomerular cells was suppressed in these animals. The proportion of bromodeoxyuridine-positive cell nuclei was no different in the airways of control and angiotensin II-infused animals for smooth muscle [mean bromodeoxyuridine index: control, 8. 6
作者:S G, Ramsay;C J, Kenyon;N, Whyte;I C, McKay;N C, Thomson;G B, Lindop
来源:Clinical science (London, England : 1979) 2000 年 98卷 1期