American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Oct 2018
IFN-γ Enhances the Cough Reflex Sensitivity via Calcium Influx in Vagal Sensory Neurons.
Cough hypersensitivity syndrome is often triggered by a viral infection. The viral infection might trigger cough hypersensitivity via increasing the release of IFN-γ from T lymphocytes in the lung. ⋯ The membrane potential in vagal sensory neurons may be depolarized by IFN-γ-induced Ca2+ influx. The depolarization of membrane potentials may enhance the cough reflex sensitivity and cause action potentials. IFN-γ may be a new target for treating cough hypersensitivity syndrome and postviral cough.