Figures
- Fig. 1.—
Nerve growth factor (NGF) protein levels in bronchoalveolar fluid from control subjects and asthmatic patients. NGF levels were quantified by enzy-melinked immunosorbent assay. Individual values are represented as dots and bars indicate mean±sem*. : p<0.05 between groups.
- Fig. 2.—
Nerve growth factor (NGF) immunolocalisation on bronchial biopsy sections from control subjects (a, b) and asthmatic patients (c–f). Intense labelling was observed in bronchial epithelium (Ep), smooth muscle cells (Smc) and infiltrating inflammatory cells (Ic) in the submucosa, showing cytoplasmic localisation, both in control subjects and asthmatic patients. A negative control is shown (f), where the anti-human NGF antibody was replaced by its control isotype immunoglobulin.
Tables
- Table 1—
Clinical characteristics of patients with asthma
Subject no. Age Sex Smoking habits Allergy/atopy FEV1 % pred PD20 µg 1 21 F C# Cat, dog, grass 93 36 2 25 M None Mite 83.8 72 3 22 M None Cat, mite 61.0 18 4 26 F None Cat 102.9 1620 5 24 F C¶ Cat, grass, mite 78.2 360 6 24 F None None 97.1 1620 7 22 M None Birch, mite, mould, food+ 75.0 1620 -
FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second
-
PD20: provocation dose causing a 20% fall in FEV1
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M: male
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F: female
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C: current smoker
-
#: 10
-
and ¶: 15 cigarettes·day−1
-
+: coriander
-
- Table 2—
Clinical characteristics of control subjects
Subject no. Age Sex Smoking habits Allergy/atopy FEV1 % pred PD20 µg 1 38 M O None 90.3 >2340 2 25 M O None 101.8 >2340 3 21 F C# None 95.1 >2340 4 28 M C¶ None 99.4 >2340 5 26 F None None 103.6 >2340 6 23 F None None 113.1 >2340 7 24 F None None 102.2 >2340 -
FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second
-
PD20: provocation dose causing a 20% fall in FEV1
-
M: male
-
F: female
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O: occasional smoker
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C: current smoker
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#: 10
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and ¶·: 15 cigarettesday−1
-
- Table 3—
Cells in bronchoalveolar lavage
Control subjects Patients with asthma Total cell concentration 106·L−1 ±8031 ±239186 %Macrophages ±951 ±923 %Lymphocytes ±40.8 ±63 %Neutrophils ±10.4 ±0.80.4 %Eosinophils ±0.20.1 ±0.30.2 %Epithelial cells ±0.50.3 ±0.10.1 -
Data are presented as means±sem
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