Table 1 Summary of sensitivity and maximum responses to methacholine in airway and parenchymal lung compartments. Summary of the threshold dose (sensitivity) required to elicit a detectable increase in airway resistance (R_aw), tissue damping (G) and tissue elastance (H) for naïve mice, mice systemically sensitised with OVA/Alum and challenged with PBS and mice systemically sensitised and challenged with OVA. Also shown is the percentage change in R_aw, G and H in response to the maximum does of methacholine used (30 mg.mL^-1). Data are presented as the mean (SEM).

Naïve

-

0.54(0.14)

-

0.51(0.25)

-

0.10(0.02)

-

235.5(21.5)

-

138.8(6.1)

-

145.4(5.1)

-

1 PBS aerosol

24 and 48 pooled

0.55(0.30)

ns

0.25(0.10)

ns

0.06(0.01)

ns

242.9(19.1)

ns

141.5(4.7)

ns

143.4(2.7)

ns

1 OVA aerosol

24

0.09(0.03)

0.012

0.15(0.04)

ns

0.05(0.01)

ns

514.0(82.7)

<0.05

275.5(30.6)

<0.001

250.2(24.5)

<0.001

48

0.46(0.19)

ns

0.18(0.05)

ns

0.17(0.07)

ns

326.4(32.6)

ns

213.0(14.6)

ns

179.3(12.6)

ns

3 OVA aerosols

24

0.12(0.03)

0.012

0.35(0.20)

ns

0.06(0.01)

ns

271.2(43.1)

ns

180.3(41.7)

ns

178.9(39.9)

ns

48

0.20(0.07)

0.034

0.16(0.04)

ns

0.08(0.01)

ns

348.8(46.0)

ns

243.6(42.7)

ns

233.0(31.6)

0.045

6 OVA aerosols

24

0.17(0.05)

0.019

0.12(0.05)

ns

0.06(0.01)

ns

456.7(43.4)

<0.05

358.2(88.4)

<0.05

298.5(52.2)

0.02

48

0.16(0.05)

0.034

0.15(0.06)

ns

0.06(0.01)

ns

396.0(23.3)

<0.05

304.8(28.5)

<0.05

295.6(30.6)

0.018