The Effects Of ICAM-1 On The Leukocyte Infiltration Of Airway In Asthmatic Rats

Accumulated evidence suggests that bronchial asthma is a kind of chronic inflammatory disease which is characterized by reversible increased responsiveness to stimuli, such as allergen or other agents. The leukocyte infiltration in lung tissues is contributed to the airway damage and hyperreactivity in asthma. Therefore the influx of inflammatory cells into the airway wall and lumen isimportant in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma.Though the mechanism of Leukocyte infiltration is not well understood, the current understanding of the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation is related to the function of adhesion molecules involved in this process. Now it is well know that the adherence between leukocyte and microvascular endothelium caused by the interaction of adhesion molecules is prerequisite for leukocyte infiltration. There were several reports about the increase of ICAM-1 ( intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1) expression on epithelium of bronchea and on the endothelium of the submucosal venuleafter Wegner's first report (in asthmatic Monkey) 5 years ago. Because all of the samples were bronchial biopsy, only the epithelium of bronchi and submucosal tissues could be...