Platelet activating factor: effects on bronchomotor tone and bronchial responsiveness in human beings.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a newly discovered lipid mediator of inflammation. When inhaled by normal volunteers, it induces bronchoconstriction associated with facial flushing and with a transient fall in circulating neutrophils. Of greater interest is its ability to induce prolonged increases in bronchial responsiveness to methacholine. These observations support an important role for PAF in asthama; the availability of specific PAF antagonists will allow us to test this hypothesis.