PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - A Eklund
AU  - O Eriksson
AU  - L Hakansson
AU  - K Larsson
AU  - K Ohlsson
AU  - P Venge
AU  - H Bergstrand
AU  - A Bjornson
AU  - R Brattsand
AU  - C Glennow
AU  - al. et
TI  - Oral N-acetylcysteine reduces selected humoral markers of inflammatory cell activity in BAL fluid from healthy smokers: correlation to effects on cellular variables
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.93.01090832
DP  - 1988 Oct 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 832--838
VI  - 1
IP  - 9
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/1/9/832.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/1/9/832.full
SO  - Eur Respir J1988 Oct 01; 1
AB  - Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed on eleven healthy smokers before and after eight weeks of oral treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 200 mg t.i.d. The concentrations of selected eosinophil and neutrophil granule constituents and of selected proteases and protease inhibitors, albumin and endotoxin were determined in the recovered BAL fluid and in plasma or serum samples. In addition, in vitro chemotactic activities for neutrophils and eosinophils were assessed in the BAL fluid. Significant reductions in BAL fluid content of lactoferrin (LF), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), antichymotrypsin (ACT) and chemotactic activity for neutrophils were recorded after NAC treatment. The levels of other examined markers tended to be reduced or were not affected. In serum/plasma, the concentrations of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and elastase were reduced after NAC treatment whereas concentrations of other constituents examined were unaltered. These data, together with previously reported findings, suggest that oral NAC may influence the activity of "inflammatory" cells in the bronchoalveolar space of smokers.