Adenosine A1 receptor antagonist versus montelukast on airway reactivity and inflammation

Adenosine produces bronchoconstriction in allergic rabbits, primates, and humans by activating adenosine A1 receptors. Previously, it is reported that a high dose of L-97-1, a water-soluble, small molecule adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, blocks early and late allergic responses, and bronchial hyper-responsiveness to histamine in a hyper-responsive rabbit model of allergic asthma. Effects of a lower dose of L-97-1 are compared to montelukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene-1 receptor antagonist on early allergic response, late allergic response, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid following house dust mite administration. Rabbits received intraperitoneal injections of house dust mite extract within 24 h of birth followed by booster house dust mite injections. Hyper-responsive rabbits received aerosolized house dust mite (2500 allergen units), 1 h after intragastric administration of L-97-1 (1 mg/kg) or montelukast (0.15 mg/kg) and lung dynamic compliance was measured for 6 h. Lung dynamic compliance was significantly higher following L-97-1 at all time points and with montelukast at 60–300 min following house dust mite (P < 0.05). L-97-1 blocks both early and late allergic responses. Montelukast blocks only the late allergic response. Both L-97-1 and montelukast significantly blocked bronchial hyper-responsiveness at 24 h (P < 0.05). Both L-97-1 and montelukast significantly reduced BAL eosinophils at 6 h and neutrophils at 6 and 24 h (P < 0.05). L-97-1 significantly reduced BAL lymphocytes at 6 and 24 h (P < 0.05). Montelukast significantly reduced BAL macrophages at 6 and 24 h (P < 0.05). By blocking both bronchoconstriction and airway inflammation, L-97-1 may be an effective oral anti-asthma treatment.