Clara cell protein in nasal lavage fluid and nasal nitric oxide - biomarkers with anti-inflammatory properties in allergic rhinitis.

Background: Clara cell protein (CC16) is ascribed a protective and anti-inflammatory role in airway inflammation. Lower levels have been observed in asthmatic subjects as well as in subjects with intermittent allergic rhinitis than in healthy controls. Nasal nitric oxide (nNO) is present in high concentrations in the upper airways, and considered a biomarker with beneficial effects, due to inhibition of bacteria and viruses along with stimulation of ciliary motility.

Acoustic rhinometry, spirometry and nitric oxide in relation to airway allergy and smoking habits in an adolescent cohort.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze upper and lower airway function and the impact of smoking habits in a cohort of allergic and healthy adolescents. The influence of smoking habits on the outcomes of rhinitis and asthma is well documented, but only few reports are available showing smoke related upper airway impairment by rhinometric measurements, and none with focus on early changes in adolescents.

Methods: A cohort followed from infancy was re-examined at the age of 18 years concerning allergy development.

An 18-year follow-up of allergy development related to nasal metachromatic cell findings during infancy.

Background: The ability to predict the development of allergic diseases in infants is important. Predictive biomarkers are wanted to improve the risk evaluation in addition to known heredity of allergy. Biomarkers taken during infancy need to be evaluated through longitudinal studies into adulthood.

Phospholipase A2 mRNA expression in the nasal mucosa of healthy subjects and patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a family of enzymes that play different role(s) in inflammation, but their importance in seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) has not been clarified. Here, we determined the levels of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for different PLA2 types in the nasal mucosa of SAR patients (n = 6) and healthy controls (n = 5). Nasal brush samples were taken both during pollen season, when the symptoms of the patients were severe, and off-season, when the patients were free of symptoms.

Nasal lavage fluid and proteomics as means to identify the effects of the irritating epoxy chemical dimethylbenzylamine.

The aims of this study were to describe the changes in the nasal lavage fluid (NLF) protein pattern after exposure to the irritating epoxy chemical dimethylbenzylamine (DMBA) and to identify the affected proteins using a proteomic approach. The protein patterns of NLF from six healthy subjects and eight epoxy workers with airway irritation were analysed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) before and after exposure to 100 microg m(-3) DMBA for 2 h in an exposure chamber. NLF proteins were identified by (i) comparison with a 2-DE NLF reference database; (ii) N-terminal amino acid sequencing; and (iii) mass spectrometry.