EFFECT OF ASPIRIN ON BETA-RECEPTORS IN LYMPHOCYTES FROM PATIENTS WITHASPIRIN-INDUCED ASTHMA

We studied the effect of aspirin on beta-adrenergic receptors in lymph ocytes from three groups of subjects: 5 asthmatic patients presenting sensitivity to aspirin, 10 asthmatic patients with tolerance to aspiri n and a control group. Lymphocytes were incubated with aspirin-lysine (36 mu g/ml). The number of beta-receptors/cell and the dissociation c onstants (K-d were assessed by means of [I-125]-cyanopindolol (ICYP). There was a decrease in the number of beta-receptors after incubation with aspirin in all asthmatic patients with sensitivity. The differenc es between mean basal (660 +/- 171 receptors/cell) and postincubation (398 +/- 110 receptors/cell) values were significant (p < 0.05). There were also significant differences (p < 0.01) between basal (23.4 +/- 6 pM) and postincubation (15 +/- 5.1 pM) K-d values, which indicates t hat the affinity of ICYP increased. In the subjects in the other two g roups, aspirin both increased and decreased the number of beta-recepto rs, but the effects were not significant. It is suggested that in pati ents with sensitivity, aspirin could induce changes in the plasmatic m embrane, thus altering beta-receptors or inducing the release of infla mmatory mediators that exert their effect upon these receptors.