Effects of inhalation of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine in the well elderly and in patients with chronic bronchitis.

Abstract

Background Inhalation of the bacterial peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) produces bronchoconstriction in normal subjects. FMLP thus has a putative role as a mediator of bronchoconstriction associated with bacterial bronchial infection. Methods The effects ofFMLP inhalation were examined in ten subjects with a history of chronic bronchitis and ten age matched control subjects. Each subject inhaled FMLP doses from 0 025 to 0-8