Japanese journal of pharmacology
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Smooth muscle responsiveness of intrapulmonary small bronchi obtained from repeatedly antigen-challenged rats was compared with that from control animals to determine whether smooth muscle contractility of peripheral airways is augmented by such repeated challenge. In intact (non-permeabilized) smooth muscles of intrapulmonary bronchi, the acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contractile response was significantly augmented in the repeated challenge group, although 60-mM K+-induced contraction was within the normal level. In beta-escin-permeabilized muscles, no significant difference between groups was observed in the Ca2+-induced contractile responses. Thus, augmented ACh-induced contraction of intact intrapulmonary small bronchial smooth muscle might be, at least in part, due to an enhanced ACh-mediated Ca2+-sensitizing signal.