Effects Of Melatonin And Its Receptor Antagonist Luzindole On Airway Inflammation And Remodeling In A Mouse Asthma Model

BackgroundBronchial asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease of respiratory system.Currenty,it is defined as a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells (eosinophils,mast cell,T lymphocytes,neutrophils,ephithelia cells) and cellular elements play a role. The frequent occurrence of injury and repair initiated by chronic inflammation could lead to the structural changes in airway ,collectively termed as airway remodeling. Airway remodeling is characterized by airway wall thickening,subepithelial fibrosis,mucousmetaplasia,fibro -blast hyperplasia,myocyte hyperplasia,increased vascularity and angioge-nesis. Generally, airway remodeling is thought to contribute to airway hyperrespondiveness and reversible or irreversible airflow limitation. Glucocorticoids are the first line thrapy for the control of asthma, they are capable of decreasing the number and activation of inflammatory cells in airway, inhibiting the inflammatory mediators synthesized by inflammatory cells and structural cells and eliciting apoptosis in inflammatory cells. The long-term inhalation of steroids is safe and beneficial to the improvement of pulmonary function. It has remained that airway remodeling could be prevented or inhibited by steroids in early stage. But melatonin is also an anti-inflamation, whether it also can inhibit or prevent...