TY - JOUR T1 - Oral N-acetylcysteine reduces selected humoral markers of inflammatory cell activity in BAL fluid from healthy smokers: correlation to effects on cellular variables JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 832 LP - 838 DO - 10.1183/09031936.93.01090832 VL - 1 IS - 9 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 Y1 - 1988/10/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/1/9/832.abstract N2 - 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. ER -