Substance P and its receptor neurokinin 1 expression in asthmatic airways

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Substance P, published as a controlled clinical trial.

This study evaluated substance P and neurokinin 1 protein expression and mucus content in endobronchial biopsy specimens from normal control subjects and asthmatic subjects.

Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae was performed in both biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage specimens.

Why It Was Studied

The expression of neuropeptides such as substance P may be regulated by infectious pathogens, including Mycoplasma species.

In contrast to substance P, the substance P receptor neurokinin 1 has not been examined at the protein level in asthmatic airways.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 10 subjects taking part.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as placebo-controlled.

Some subjects received a placebo instead of Substance P, giving a reference point.

M pneumoniae was evaluated by PCR.

What Was Measured

In contrast to substance P, the substance P receptor neurokinin 1 has not been examined at the protein level in asthmatic airways.

PubMed files the paper under topics including Anti-Bacterial Agents, Asthma, Biopsy, Bronchi, Epithelium, Forced Expiratory Volume and Mucus.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a placebo-controlled study of Substance P in 10 subjects.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

Results are reported in around 7 sentences of the abstract; we leave them to the paper itself rather than summarise them.

The publication is from 2000 (The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Substance P compound page, all human trials.