EOSINOPHIL-ASSOCIATED INFLAMMATION IN BRONCHIAL-ASTHMA - A CONNECTIONTO THE NERVOUS-SYSTEM

Evidence exists that eosinophil cationic proteins damage respiratory e pithelium in bronchial asthma. Furthermore, the degree of eosinophilia in the blood and the lung is related to bronchial hyperreactivity. Th e eosinophil might increase airway irritability by increasing vagal re sponsiveness. Sensitized challenged guinea pigs develop M(2) muscarini c receptor cholinergic dysfunction which is abolished by injection of heparin or polyglutamate and both the eosinophil granule major basic p rotein and the eosinophil peroxidase act as allosteric M(2) receptor a ntagonists. Thus, eosinophil-associated pulmonary inflammation in asth ma may enhance vagally mediated bronchoconstriction.