AIRWAY MUCOSAL PERMEABILITY IN ASCARIS-SUUM SENSITIVE RHESUS-MONKEY

[摘要] Permeability of airways to 99mTc-labeled albumin was measured in A. suum-sensitive rhesus monkeys. All 8 animals were skin-sensitive to A. suum (AA) antigen, 4 being respiratory responders (R) and 4 nonresponders (NR) to aerosolized antigen. In the absence of antigen challenge there were no differences in accumulation in blood of radioactive material from the tracheobronchial tree between R and NR animals. After a 5 min challenge with aerosolized AA, there was a 3-fold increase in rate of accumulation of radioactive material in the blood over control for the R group with no effect noted in the NR group. Gel filtration data indicated that radioactivity in the blood most likely represented low MW albumin fragments, resulting from spontaneous degradation of Tc-albumin, that cross the mucosa and partially bound to circulating albumin. Hyperpermeability of the airway mucosa probably is not a factor that contributes to selective responsiveness of the R group to aerosolized antigen; airway permeability is increased consequent to the allergic reaction mediating acute bronchoconstriction.