Involvements of cysteinyl leukotrienes and nitric oxide in antigen-induced venodilatation of nasal mucosa in sensitized rats in vivo.

To determine an in vivo venodilatation of nasal mucosa, which is thought to be one of the causes of nasal obstruction in allergic rhinitis, venous diameters of nasal septa were directly measured in anesthetized rats. An application of antigen to nasal mucosa of sensitized rats caused an increase in diameters of mucosal veins, that is, venodilatation: the maximal response (about 20% increase in diameters) was observed at 55 min after antigen challenge. The antigen-induced increase in venous diameter of nasal mucosa was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with a cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) receptor antagonist, SR2640, and a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, indicating that CysLTs and NO might be involved in the venodilatation of nasal mucosa induced by antigen challenge. Blocking the action of CysLTs and NO might be therefore useful for the therapy of nasal obstruction in allergic rhinitis.