Increased nitric oxide production by neutrophils in bronchial asthma

This study was designed to assess the production of nitric oxide (NO) by ne utrophils in bronchial asthma. Thirty asthmatic patients (ten each of mild, moderate and severe asthma) an d ten healthy controls were included in the study. Neutrophils from periphe ral venous blood were stimulated with latex, and production of nitrite (an NO metabolise) and L-Citrulline (a co-product of NO) was studied. It was po stulated that peripheral blood neutrophils, being in a primed or activated state in asthma, would reflect the changes occurring in bronchial tree neut rophils. Nitrite and L-Citrulline production by neutrophils was significantly higher in asthmatics (p < 0.001) and increased with disease severity. A strong ne gative correlation was observed between peak expiratory flow and both nitri te (r = -0.87, p < 0.001) and L-citrulline (r = -0.88, p < 0.001) productio n. It is concluded that nitric oxide production by neutrophils is increased in bronchial asthma and can possibly contribute to airway narrowing and disea se severity.