[Study on relationship between proto-oncogene expression of c-fos and c-myc in airway, lung tissue and asthma in guinea pigs]

Abstract

In order to investigate the mechanism of the attack of asthma, the authors examined the proto-oncogene expression of c-fos and c-myc in the airway and lung tissue of the ovalbumin-induced asthmatic guinea pigs by using Dot-blot. Northern-blot and immunohistochemical techniques. There was a baseline expression of c-fos and c-myc in the controls, whereas the mRNA expression of c-fos and c-myc increased much more significantly in asthmatic guinea pigs, it reached maximum at 30 min after the onset of asthma and it was in a time dependant manner. The inducement could be inhibited partially by dexamethasone. Immunohistochemical investigation showed that c-fos and c-myc was distributed mainly in epithelial cells of the airway. The staining was more intensive in the asthmatic guinea pigs than in the controls. The results suggest that the increase in proto-oncogene expression of c-fos and c-myc may be related to the attack of asthma.