pH in exhaled breath condensate and nasal lavage as a biomarker of air pollution-related inflammation in street traffic-controllers and office-workers

OBJECTIVE:

To utilize low-cost and simple methods to assess airway and lung inflammation biomarkers related to air pollution.

METHODS:

A total of 87 male, non-smoking, healthy subjects working as street traffic-controllers or office-workers were examined to determine carbon monoxide in exhaled breath and to measure the pH in nasal lavage fluid and exhaled breath condensate. Air pollution exposure was measured by particulate matter concentration, and data were obtained from fixed monitoring stations (8-h work intervals per day, during the 5 consecutive days prior to the study).

RESULTS:

Exhaled carbon monoxide was two-fold greater in traffic-controllers than in office-workers. The mean pH values were 8.12 in exhaled breath condensate and 7.99 in nasal lavage fluid in office-workers; these values were lower in traffic-controllers (7.80 and 7.30, respectively). Both groups presented similar cytokines concentrations in both substrates, however, IL-1β and IL-8 were elevated in nasal lavage fluid compared with exhaled breath condensate. The particulate matter concentration was greater at the workplace of traffic-controllers compared with that of office-workers.

CONCLUSION:

The pH values of nasal lavage fluid and exhaled breath condensate are important, robust, easy to measure and reproducible biomarkers that can be used to monitor occupational exposure to air pollution. Additionally, traffic-controllers are at an increased risk of airway and lung inflammation during their occupational activities compared with office-workers.     

Eicosanoids in exhaled breath condensate and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with primary lung cancer

Although eicosanoids are involved in lung carcinogenesis they were poorly investigated in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALf) in patients with primary lung cancer. In this study 17 patients with diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer, 10 healthy smokers and 12 healthy nonsmokers were included. The levels of cys-LTs, 8-isoprostane, LTB4 and PGE2 were measured before any treatment in the EBC of all patients and in BALf of patients with lung cancer by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. 8-isoprostane, LTB4, cys-LTs and PGE2 were detectable in the EBC and BALf. There were no significant differences between healthy smokers and nonsmokers in concentrations of all measured mediators. Compared with both healthy controls, patients with diagnosed lung cancer displayed higher concentrations of cys-LTs (p< 0.05) and LTB4 (p < 0.05) in EBC. In patients with lung cancer, the mean concentrations of all measured mediators were significantly higher in BALf compared with EBC and there was a significant, positive correlation between concentration of cys-LTs, LTB(4) and 8-isoprostane in BALf and their concentrations in the EBC (r=0.64, p < 0.05, r=0.59, p< 0.05, r=0.53, p< 0.05 respectively). Since cys-LT, LTB4 and 8-isoprostane concentrations in EBC from patients with lung cancer reflect their concentrations in BALf, they may serve as a possible non-invasive method to monitor the disease and to assess the effectiveness of therapy.     

Validation of 8-isoprostane and prostaglandin E<Subscript>2</Subscript> measurements in exhaled breath condensate

Objective:To qualitatively validate radioimmunoassays for 8-isoprostane and prostaglandin (PG) E₂ in exhaled breath condensate.Subjects:Twenty-two subjects with different lung diseases attended the outpatient clinic on one occasion for exhaled breath condensate collection.Methods:Samples were pooled together and purified by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The eluted fractions were assayed for 8-isoprostane-like immunoreactivity and PGE₂-like immunoreactivity by radioimmunoassays. In addition, simultaneous measurements of exhaled breath condensate unextracted samples with two anti-8-isoprostane and anti-PGE₂ sera with different cross-reactivity were performed.Results:A single peak of 8-isoprostane-like immunoreactivity and PGE₂-like immunoreactivity co-eluting with 8-isoprostane (retention time: 13 min) and PGE₂ (retention time: 21 min) standards, respectively, was identified by radioimmunoassays. Testing with two different antisera showed similar results for both 8-isoprostane-like immunoreactivity (limits of agreement = 4.5 pg/ml and – 4.1 pg/ml, n = 12) and PGE₂-like immunoreactivity (limits of agreement = 6.1 pg/ ml and – 6.1 pg/ml, n = 12).Conclusion: This study provides evidence for the specificity of the radioimmunoassays for 8-isoprostane and PGE₂ in exhaled breath condensate. This is critical for proposing these markers as a non-invasive way for monitoring airway inflammation.     

The fall in exhaled nitric oxide with ventilation at low lung volumes in rabbits: an index of small airway injury

The mechanisms involved in the fall of exhaled nitric oxide (NOe) concentration occurring in normal, anesthetized open chest rabbits with prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV) at low lung volume have been investigated. NOe, pH of exhaled vapor condensate, serum prostaglandin E(2), and F(2alpha), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), PaO(2), PaCO(2), pHa, and lung mechanics were assessed before, during, and after 3-4h of MV at zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP), with fixed tidal volume (9 ml kg(-1)) and frequency, as well as before and after 3-4h of MV on PEEP only. Lung histology and wet-to-dry ratio (W/D), and prostaglandin and TNF-alpha in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were also assessed. While MV on PEEP had no effect on the parameters above, MV on ZEEP caused a marked fall (45%) of NOe, with a persistent increase of airway resistance (45%) and lung elastance (12%). Changes in NOe were independent of prostaglandin and TNF-alpha levels, systemic hypoxia, hypercapnia and acidosis, bronchiolar and alveolar interstitial edema, and pH of exhaled vapor condensate. In contrast, there was a significant relationship between the decrease in NOe and bronchiolar epithelial injury score. This indicates that the fall in NOe, which occurs in the absence of an inflammatory response, is due to the epithelial damage caused by the abnormal stresses related to cyclic opening and closing of small airways with MV on ZEEP, and suggests its use as a sign of peripheral airway injury.     

模拟急进高原过程对清醒和麻醉状态大鼠血压和呼吸的影响

目的:为了全面地反映急进高原过程中机体的一些真实改变,本实验通过动态监测清醒和麻醉2种不同状态下大鼠血流动力学指标,旨在探讨清醒和麻醉状态大鼠在急性缺氧时血流动力学的差异,并以此进一步探讨其可能的机制。方法:实验将SD大鼠随机分为麻醉组、清醒组、5 000 m麻醉对照(A-5000-control)组、5 000m麻醉氨基胍(A-5000-AG)组、5 000 m清醒对照(C-5000-control)组和5 000 m清醒氨基胍(C-5000-AG)组。麻醉组和清醒组大鼠在低压氧舱从2 260 m开始,以2 m/s模拟急进高原5 000 m过程;其余4组均在模拟5 000 m海拔条件下进行。实验期间通过Power Lab生理记录仪实时、动态地监测整个过程中大鼠的系统动脉压(system arterial pressure,Psa)、中心静脉压(central venous pressure,CVP)、心率(heart rate,HR)和呼吸频率(breathing rate,BR)。结果:清醒组大鼠的HR和BR明显高于麻醉组,但MAP明显低于麻醉组。随着海拔的逐渐升高,清醒组和麻醉组大鼠均出现平均动脉压(mean arterial pressure,MAP)降低,且清醒组大鼠降低更为显著。另外,在5 000 m时,清醒组大鼠HR明显降低,而整个过程中2组大鼠的BR均无明显改变。静脉注射诱导型一氧化氮合酶(inducible nitric oxide synthase,i NOS)抑制剂氨基胍后,C-5000-AG组和A-5000-AG组大鼠动脉血压均明显升高,而HR和BR未见明显变化。结论:在急进高原过程中,血压和心率会明显下降,而呼吸频率变化不大。该现象可能的机制为:急性缺氧早期机体启动自我保护机制,活化i NOS,大量产生并释放NO,使血管舒张,可调节肺通气、引起血压下降;达到海拔5 000 m左右甚至更早时,机体可能出现失代偿,使心率减慢,引起血压进一步降低。由于受麻醉药物戊巴比妥钠的影响,麻醉状态的大鼠血压下降出现得较为迟缓,而清醒大鼠对急进高原性低氧反应迅速,能够更真实全面地反映急进高原过程中低氧引起的血流动力学改变。     

Adenosine triphosphate in exhaled breath condensate of healthy subjects and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVES: The effect of hypoxic relapse of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on lung adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration was studied measuring ATP in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). SUBJECTS: Thirty COPD patients with severe exacerbation, thirteen healthy non-smokers and thirteen healthy smokers. METHODS: ATP was detected using a luciferin-luciferase assay, dilution of airway droplets in EBC was assessed measuring sample conductivity. RESULTS: ATP concentrations were similar in COPD patients, non-smoking and smoking healthy individuals (141 +/- 44, 115 +/- 21 and 90 +/- 15 pM; p = 0.66). After treatment oxygenation of COPD patients improved (6.85 +/- 1.29 kPa vs 8.20 +/- 1.28 kPa, p <0.001), but EBC ATP concentration was similar to that of admission (p = 0.84). There was no correlation between EBC ATP concentration and airway droplet dilution. CONCLUSION: ATP detected in EBC indicates the presence of ATP in airway lining fluid. Lack of difference in ATP concentration between health and COPD suggests that airway ATP level is under complex control of multiple factors.     

Effects of tetrahydrobiopterin and phenylalanine on in vivo human phenylalanine hydroxylase by phenylalanine breath test

BH(4) administration results in the reduction of blood phenylalanine level in patients with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4))-responsive phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency. The mechanism underlying BH(4) response remains unknown. Here, we studied the effects of BH(4) and phenylalanine on in vivo PAH activity of normal controls using the phenylalanine breath test (PBT) by converting l-[1-(13)C] phenylalanine to (13)CO(2). Phenylalanine oxidation rates were expressed as Delta(13)C ((13)CO(2)/(12+13)CO(2), per thousand) and cumulative recovery rates over 120min (CRR(120), %; total amount of (13)CO(2)/the administered dose of (13)C-phenylalanine). Under physiological conditions of blood phenylalanine, BH(4) administration reduced the Delta(13)C peak from 40.8 per thousand to 21.6 per thousand and CRR(120) from 16.9% to 10.2%. Under high blood phenylalanine conditions, administration of BH(4) increased the Delta(13)C peak from 30.7 per thousand to 46.0 per thousand, while the CRR(120) was similar between phenylalanine (19.9%) and phenylalanine+BH(4) (21.1%) groups. Corrected Delta(13)C and CRR(120) were calculated against serum phenylalanine levels to remove the effects of phenylalanine loading. After BH(4) administration, the corrected Delta(13)C peak increased from 82.7 per thousand to 112.6 per thousand, while the corrected CRR(120) was similar (47.6% and 45.6%). These results indicate that phenylalanine worked as a regulator of in vivo PAH by serving as both a substrate and an activator for the enzyme. Excessive dosages of BH(4) inhibited PAH under normal phenylalanine conditions and activated PAH under conditions of high phenylalanine. The regulation system is therefore designed to maintain phenylalanine levels in the human body. Appropriate BH(4) supplementation must be reviewed in patients with BH(4)-responsive PAH deficiency.     

Lung oxidative stress as related to exercise and altitude. Lipid peroxidation evidence in exhaled breath condensate: a possible predictor of acute mountain sickness

Lung oxidative stress (OS) was explored in resting and in exercising subjects exposed to moderate and high altitude. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) was collected under field conditions in male high-competition mountain bikers performing a maximal cycloergometric exercise at 670 m and at 2,160 m, as well as, in male soldiers climbing up to 6,125 m in Northern Chile. Malondialdehyde concentration [MDA] was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in EBC and in serum samples. Hydrogen peroxide concentration [H₂O₂] was analysed in EBC according to the spectrophotometric FOX₂ assay. [MDA] in EBC of bikers did not change while exercising at 670 m, but increased from 30.0±8.0 to 50.0±11.0 nmol l⁻¹ (P<0.05) at 2,160 m. Concomitantly, [MDA] in serum and [H₂O₂] in EBC remained constant. On the other hand, in mountaineering soldiers, [H₂O₂] in EBC under resting conditions increased from 0.30±0.12 μmol l⁻¹ at 670 m to 1.14±0.29 μmol l⁻¹ immediately on return from the mountain. Three days later, [H₂O₂] in EBC (0.93 ±0.23 μmol l⁻¹) continued to be elevated (P<0.05). [MDA] in EBC increased from 71±16 nmol l⁻¹ at 670 m to 128±26 nmol l⁻¹ at 3,000 m (P<0.05). Changes of [H₂O₂] in EBC while ascending from 670 m up to 3,000 m inversely correlated with concomitant variations in HbO2 saturation (r=−0.48, P<0.05). AMS score evaluated at 5,000 m directly correlated with changes of [MDA] in EBC occurring while the subjects moved from 670 to 3,000 m (r=0.51, P<0.05). Lung OS may constitute a pathogenic factor in AMS.     

Developmental,genetic, and environmental components of lung volumes at high altitude

Vital capacity and residual lung volume (in terms of 1/min or ml/m² of body surface area) of 357 subjects (205 males, 152 females) was evaluated in La Paz, Bolivia, situated at 3,750 m. The sample included: (1) 37 high altitude rural natives (all male), (2) 125 high altitude urban natives (69 male, 58 female), (3) 85 Bolivians of foreign ancestry acclimatized to high altitude since birth (40 male, 45 female), (4) 63 Bolivians of foreign ancestry acclimatized to high altitude during growth (30 male, 33 female), and (5) 47 non-Bolivians of either European or North American ancestry acclimatized to high altitude during adulthood (24 male, 23 female). Results indicate that (1) all samples studied, irrespective of origin or acclimatization status, have larger lung volumes than those predicted from sea level norms; (2) the high altitude rural natives have significantly greater lung volumes (vital capacity and residual lung volume) than the high altitude urban natives and all the non-native high altitude samples; (3) males acclimatized to high altitude since birth or during growth attain similar lung volumes as high altitude urban natives and higher residual lung volumes than subjects acclimatized to high altitude during adulthood but lower than the high altitude rural natives; (4) females acclimatized to high altitude since birth or during growth attain similar lung volumes as subjects acclimatized to high altitude during adulthood; (5) age at arrival to high altitude is inversely related to residual lung volume but not vital capacity; (6) among subjects acclimatized to high altitude during growth, approximately 20–25% of the variability in residual lung volume can be explained by developmental factors; (7) among high altitude rural and urban natives, it appears that approximately 20–25% of the variability in residual lung volume at high altitude can be explained by genetic traits associated with skin reflectance and genetic traits shared by siblings; and (8) vital capacity, but not the residual lung volume, is inversely related to occupational activity level. Together these data suggest that the attainment of vital capacity at high altitude is influenced more by environmental factors, such as occupational activity level, and body composition than developmental acclimatization. On the other hand, the attainment of an enlarged residual volume is related to both developmental acclimatization and genetic factors. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 9:191–203, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

基于光腔衰荡光谱的呼吸丙酮分析仪设计与实现

目的 利用光腔衰荡光谱（CRDS）搭建了一套呼吸丙酮分析仪,以研究人体呼吸中的糖尿病潜在生物标志物丙酮,推动呼吸分析在临床疾病诊断或代谢监测中的应用.方法 选择266 nm紫外脉冲激光器作为光源,反射率为99.956％的高反镜组成衰荡腔,以光电倍增管（PMT）为探测器,在尺寸为60 cm×20 cm的铝板上搭建了一套可移动式呼吸分析仪.用不同体积分数的标准丙酮气体验证仪器的准确度与线性响应后,将其用于健康人体与糖尿病患者的呼吸样本测量.结果 实验测得高反射镜等效反射率为99.93％,仪器典型的衰荡时间基线平均值为2.386 4μs,稳定度为0.22％,对不同体积分数的丙酮样本具有线性响应（R2=0.99）,仪器检测极限为0.13×10-6（3σ准则）.结论 该呼吸分析仪具有良好的稳定性与重复性,可满足临床上人体呼吸的测量要求,并即将用于大量的临床呼吸测试以研究呼吸标志物与疾病之间的相关性.     

Effects of orthopaedic wear particles on osteoprogenitor cells

Wear particles from total joint arthroplasties are constantly being generated throughout the lifetime of an implant. Since mesenchymal stem cells and osteoprogenitors from the bone marrow are the precursors of osteoblasts, the reaction of these cells to orthopaedic wear particles is critical to both initial osseointegration of implants and ongoing regeneration of the periprosthetic bed. Particles less than 5 μm can undergo phagocytosis by mature osteoblasts, with potential adverse effects on cellular viability, proliferation and function. The specific effects are dependent on particle composition and dose. Metal and polymer particles in non-toxic doses stimulate pro-inflammatory factor release more than ceramic particles of a similar size. The released factors inhibit markers of bone formation and are capable of stimulating osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. Mesenchymal stem cells and osteoprogenitors are also profoundly affected by wear particles. Titanium and polymethylmethacrylate particles inhibit bone cell viability and proliferation, and downregulate markers of bone formation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Future studies should delineate the molecular mechanisms by which particles adversely affect mesenchymal stems cells and the bone cell lineage and provide strategies to modulate these effects.     

Effects of fine carbonaceous particles containing high and low unpaired electron spin densities on lungs of female mice

The negative impacts on human health that accompany inhalation of atmospheric particles are documented in numerous epidemiologic studies, but the effect of specific chemical properties of the particles is generally unknown. We developed and employed technology for generating inhalable aerosols of carbonaceous air pollution particles that have specific physical and chemical properties. We find that inhaling particles with greater unpaired electron spin (free radical) densities stimulates greater lung inflammatory and oxidative stress responses. Cultured alveolar macrophages take up more particles of greater free radical content, develop mitochondrial abnormalities, and release more leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) than alveolar macrophages exposed to lesser free-radical-containing particles in vitro. Mice exposed to high free radical particles in vivo also develop mitochondrial abnormalities in alveolar macrophages and increased oxidative stress, which is reflected by increases in lung nitrotyrosine staining and lung lavage nitrogen oxide levels compared with those of lesser free radical density. These results provide insight for the unexplained geographic differences and have implications for fossil fuel combustion conditions and the impact of fine particles on health and disease.     

人工髋关节置换术假体固定与骨溶解的研究

目的探讨人工髋关节置换术后假体的固定与骨溶解之间的关系,以减少术后假体无菌性松动.方法选取我院2005年3月~2011年11月人工关节无菌性松动行髋关节翻修术者28例30髋.首次行全髋关节置换术10髋,年龄38~80岁,平均66岁.分别将金属头与金属臼组合、金属头与高分子聚乙烯臼组合、陶瓷头与高分子聚乙烯臼组合、首次行全髋关节置换术者,设为A、B、C、D四组,每组10髋.手术中取假体周围磨损颗粒及周围各组织,组织学观察成骨情况,颗粒分布及其周围的组织细胞学反应.采用计算机图像分析在OLYMPUS-BX51镜下将组织切片分成若干个视野,测量每个视野中小梁骨面积﹙bone area, BA﹚和该视野组织总面积﹙total tissue area , TTA﹚,并计算BA/TTA比值.所得数据在各处理组间进行比较,以方差分析法作显著性检验﹙a=0.05﹚.结果A、B、C组与D组之间有显著性差异﹙P<0.05﹚,说明A、B、C组均明显抑制周围网织骨形成,并有以巨噬细胞为主的炎症反应及纤维组织大量增生.结论人工髋关节置换后无菌性松动及假体周围磨损颗粒除可激活巨噬细胞为主的炎症产生骨溶解外,还可抑制网织骨形成.其造成的人工髋关节假体—骨界面骨重建障碍可能是骨吸收增加和骨形成减少协同作用的结果.这可能是磨损颗粒刺激下细胞因子介导的骨—假体界面骨代谢异常在人工髋关节无菌性松动中发挥重要作用的关键所在.     

Estrogen-mediated impairment of macrophageal uptake of environmental TiO2 particles to explain inflammatory effect of TiO2 on airways during pregnancy

Abstract

Innate defenses against environmental particulate exposures can become deficient when physiological background of the organism is unbalanced. Even those exposures considered innocuous may then become harmful. For example, one of the important inherent risks of pregnancy is increased inflammatory responsiveness in the airways, which extends to exposures considered otherwise innocuous: it has been observed that normally “inert” particulates become inflammatory in pregnancy. They lead to enhanced airway inflammation associated with increased asthma risk in the offspring in the BALB/c model. It was hypothesized that pregnancy hormones alter macrophageal uptake and clearance of particles. This study shows that the phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages (AM) and RAW264.7 cells against titanium dioxide (TiO₂) was inhibited in pregnancy by ～10% and in vitro by estradiol by ～20%; progesterone potentiated this effect. Hence, enhanced inflammation in pregnancy as an outcome of exposure to the “inert” TiO₂ may be due to an effect of pregnancy hormones which decrease the ability of the airways to clear the particles. AM (at 10⁶ cells/recipient) isogenically transplanted from pregnant mothers into airways of recipients were able to confer the phenotype of inflammatory response to TiO₂ (PMN counts of 1.62 [±?0.19]?×?10⁵/ml versus 0.61 [±?0.13]?×?10⁵/ml in control). Because this small amount of transferred AM could not replace the AM population in the recipients’ lungs, it is postulated that the effect is mediated by inhibitory signaling factors that AM produce and release; hence, a list of probable molecules was identified via genome-wide microarray.     

Independence between the amount and structure of variability at low force levels

The purpose of the current experiment was to investigate the amount (standard deviation (S.D.) and coefficient of variation (CV)) and structure (approximate entropy (ApEn)) of force variability at very low force levels. Participants produced isometric force output of index finger abduction at five levels (0.4, 0.8, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 N) with high and low visual feedback gain. The findings showed that: subjects scaled their force output to the targets; S.D. increased non-linearly with force level and decreased with visual gain; and CV decreased with force level as well as visual gain. ApEn of the force output did not change as a function of force level, although the high gain increased ApEn in contrast to low gain. It is proposed that the recruitment of additional motor units at very low force levels does not significantly alter the structure of the force output, although it does increase the magnitude of force and its amount of variability. Overall, the findings provide evidence that the amount and structure of motor variability can be influenced by separate control processes at low force levels.     

Effects of high and low stress on proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines

The effects of stress, which varies throughout an academic year, on proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines were examined in 44 medical students. This was tested by comparing stimulated cytokines during a baseline period, stress period, and poststress vacation period. During the stress period, compared with the baseline period, levels of IL-6 were reduced, while levels of IL-10 were elevated. During the poststress vacation period, compared with the stress period, levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were increased. However, the changes in stress-related psychological and physiological variables were not significantly associated with changes in levels of proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines. These results suggest that vacation is more likely to have a counterstress effect on proinflammatory cytokines than on an antiinflammatory cytokine and that a stressor may affect changes in immune function independently of self-reported stress.     

麻杏石甘汤对哮喘模型小鼠气道重塑及肺组织MMP-9和TIMP-1表达的影响

目的:观察麻杏石甘汤对哮喘模型小鼠气道重塑及肺组织基质金属蛋白酶9(MMP-9)和金属蛋白酶组织抑制物1(TIMP-1)表达的影响,探讨其治疗哮喘的可能机制。方法:将72只健康雌性BALB/c小鼠随机分为:空白对照组,模型组,麻杏石甘汤低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组,阳性对照组。采用卵清蛋白致敏激发建立小鼠哮喘模型。空白对照组和模型组于激发前30 min以生理盐水灌胃;麻杏石甘汤低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组分别于激发前30 min以麻杏石甘汤按5.0 g/kg、10.0 g/kg和20.0 g/kg剂量灌胃;阳性对照组于激发前30 min以地塞米松按0.005 g/kg剂量灌胃。连续给药7 d后,观察气道反应性、支气管肺泡冲洗液(BALF)中嗜酸性粒细胞(EOS)计数、杯状细胞百分比和胶原沉积的变化;ELISA法检测MMP-9和TIMP-1水平;Western blot法检测MMP-9和TIMP-1的蛋白表达;RT-qPCR法分析检测MMP-9和TIMP-1的mRNA表达。结果:与空白对照组比较,模型组的气道反应性、杯状细胞百分比、胶原沉积、BALF中EOS计数及肺组织MMP-9和TIMP-1的mRNA和蛋白水平均显著升高(P 0.01);与模型组比较,麻杏石甘汤低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组及阳性对照组上述指标则明显降低(P 0.05或P 0.01)。结论:麻杏石甘汤可能通过降低MMP-9和TIMP-1的表达改善哮喘模型小鼠气道重塑状态。