AR inhibition prevents RWE-induced mucin production and methacholine –induced airway hyper-responsiveness in mice.

<p>(I) The lungs were lavaged with ice-cold PBS 72 h after RWE challenge. Mucin levels in the BAL were determined by ELISA using anti-MUC5ac monoclonal antibody. Bars represent Mean±SD (n = 6), ^#<i>p</i><0.003 Vs RWE. Inset: sections were stained with periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-stain to visualize mucin producing cells. A representative field is shown (magnification: ×30). (II) The changes in pause of breathing ‘enhanced pause’ (PENH) as an index of airway obstruction were measured by whole-body plethysmography. Mice were placed in a barometric plethysmographic chamber and Penh was determined and plotted against the increasing concentration of methacholine. Bronchopulmonary resistance was expressed as enhanced pause = (expiratory time/relaxation time)-1)×(peak expiratory flow/peak inspiratory flow). Each data point represents mean±SD of 6 to 8 mice for each group. <i>^*p</i><0.05, <i>^**p</i><0.01 Vs RWE. ARI, aldose reductase inhibitor; RWE, ragweed pollen extract; PBS, phosphate buffer saline; PENH, enhanced pause.