OXATOMIDE ATTENUATES THE PRIMING CAPACITY ON POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES OF NASAL LAVAGE FLUID OBTAINED AFTER ALLERGEN CHALLENGE

The priming activity on polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMLs) of nasal l avage fluid obtained from children with seasonal allergic rhinitis aft er specific allergic challenge, before and after a 14-day treatment pe riod with orally administered oxatomide 12.5 mg twice daily, was inves tigated by means of chemiluminescence. Luminol-amplified chemiluminesc ence of PMLs activated with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (f MLP) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was evaluated in the presence or absence of nasal lavage fluid, A significant increase in the chemil uminescence response of fMLP-stimulated PMLs was induced by nasal lava ge fluid. No significant change was observed in PMA-stimulated PMLs. O xatomide treatment significantly reduced the effect of nasal lavage fl uid on PMLs, These data suggest a priming potency on PMLs of nasal lav age fluid obtained from patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis after specific challenge, probably because of the presence of various infla mmatory mediators, Oxatomide treatment significantly reduced this prim ing capacity.This effect may be attributed to the inhibition of cellul ar recruitment or to the reduction of mediator release at the inflamma tion site.