Kunpeng Li1, Wenhua Chen1, Bo Yu1, Zhouying Duan2, Wen Zhang1, Qi Qi1, Ruijuan Zhou1, Wenping Zhou1. 1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China. 2. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai First Peopl's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic disease involving an immune response, which is characterized by non-specific inflammation and airway remodeling. Glucocorticoids are clinically beneficial in controlling asthma, but further options are needed. In our study, fastigial nucleus electrostimulation (FNS) was applied in a rat asthma model for the first time to investigate the effects of pre-intervention. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of FNS on airway inflammation and remodeling in asthmatic rats. METHODS: Forty rats were assigned randomly to the normal control (CON), model (MDL), FNS, or budesonide (BUD) groups. Asthma was induced with chicken egg (OVA). The animals in the CON and MDL groups were treated with normal saline. The animals in the other two groups received FNS or budesonide, respectively. RESULTS: The results indicated that IgE in the serum and airway fiber areas were higher in the MDL group than in other groups. After treatment for 3 weeks, collagen fibers in the bronchial wall in the FNS group were significantly lower compared with the MDL group. CONCLUSION: FNS significantly reduced IL-4, IL-13, TNF-α, OVA-IgE and TGF-β1 in serum and BALF, and increased IFN-γ. Our results suggest that FNS may ameliorate asthma symptoms and induce changes of cytokines in the serum and lung milieu.
BACKGROUND:Asthma is a chronic disease involving an immune response, which is characterized by non-specific inflammation and airway remodeling. Glucocorticoids are clinically beneficial in controlling asthma, but further options are needed. In our study, fastigial nucleus electrostimulation (FNS) was applied in a ratasthma model for the first time to investigate the effects of pre-intervention. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of FNS on airway inflammation and remodeling in asthmatic rats. METHODS: Forty rats were assigned randomly to the normal control (CON), model (MDL), FNS, or budesonide (BUD) groups. Asthma was induced with chicken egg (OVA). The animals in the CON and MDL groups were treated with normal saline. The animals in the other two groups received FNS or budesonide, respectively. RESULTS: The results indicated that IgE in the serum and airway fiber areas were higher in the MDL group than in other groups. After treatment for 3 weeks, collagen fibers in the bronchial wall in the FNS group were significantly lower compared with the MDL group. CONCLUSION: FNS significantly reduced IL-4, IL-13, TNF-α, OVA-IgE and TGF-β1 in serum and BALF, and increased IFN-γ. Our results suggest that FNS may ameliorate asthma symptoms and induce changes of cytokines in the serum and lung milieu.