The effect of inhaled sodium cromoglycate on cellular infiltration into the bronchial mucosa and the expression of adhesion molecules in asthmatics.

There is no direct evidence of the anti-inflammatory effect of inhaled sodium cromoglycate (SCG). To investigate whether inhaled SCG has any effect on cellular infiltration into the bronchial mucosa and the expression of adhesion molecules in patients with asthma, biopsies of the bronchial mucosa were taken from nine patients with atopic bronchial asthma before and after treatment with inhaled SCG (8 mg x day(-1)) from a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). Eosinophils were stained with anti-EG2, neutrophils with anti-NP57, mast cells with anti-AA1, T-lymphocytes with anti-CD4, CD8 and CD3, and macrophages with anti-CD68. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1) and P-selectin were stained at the same time as adhesion molecules expressed in vascular endothelium. The intensity of ICAM-1 expression in the bronchial epithelium was also evaluated. The numbers of eosinophils, mast cells, T-lymphocytes and macrophages were significantly reduced as a result of SCG administration, and the expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and ELAM-1 was also significantly inhibited. A significant correlation was found between ICAM-1 expression and T-lymphocytes and between VCAM-1 expression and eosinophils. It was concluded that sodium cromoglycate does have an effect on the infiltration of the bronchial mucosa by inflammatory cells and also on the expression of adhesion molecules.