Low temperature decreased tension in isolated hypertrophic human nasal mucosa

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of low temperature on basal tension in isolated hypertrophic human nasal mucosa with or without alpha1-agonist stimulation.

Methods: A tissue bath for isolated nasal mucosa was used. Tension in strips of human turbinate mucosa that were untreated and treated with an alpha1-adrenoreceptor agonist, methoxamine (10 microM), was recorded continuously in a stepwise manner in temperatures that varied from 37 to 10 degrees C.

Results: The changes of tension in the human nasal mucosa were found to be temperature-dependent in both untreated and treated tissues, with tension decreasing to 48.6% at 10 degrees C in comparison with 100% at 37 degrees C in the untreated group, the presence of methoxamine (10 microM) had minimal effect.

Conclusion: Low temperature induced a rapid and reproducible relaxation in isolated hypertrophic human nasal mucosa that was not affected by the presence of the alpha1-agonist methoxamine (10 microM).