Oral N-acetylcysteine attenuates the rat pulmonary inflammatory response to antigen. S. Blesa, J. Cortijo, M. Mata, A. Serrano, D. Closa, F. Santangelo, J.M. Estrela, J. Suchankova, E.J. Morcillo. #ERS Journals Ltd 2003. ABSTRACT: Oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of inflammatory airway diseases including asthma; therefore, antioxidants might be of clinical benefit in asthma treatment. In the present study, the effects of N-acetylcysteine on sensitised brown Norway rats were examined.N-Acetylcysteine (3 mmol?kg body weight -1 administered orally) was given daily for 1 week before challenge and various antigen-induced pulmonary responses were studied.Antigen exposure increased lipid peroxidation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and oxidised glutathione levels in lung tissue 2 h after challenge. Lung nuclear transcription factor-kB-binding activity was increased 2 h after challenge, and BALF tumour necrosis factor-a and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in lungs peaked 4 h after challenge. Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and mucin MUC5AC was also increased 4 h after challenge. These changes in oxidant status, transcription factor activation, and inflammatory cytokine and gene expression were reduced by N-acetylcysteine. This thiol did not affect the immediate bronchospasm reaction to antigen in anaesthetised rats but inhibited airways hyperresponsiveness to 5-hydroxytryptamine and the augmented eosinophil numbers in BALF, which appear 24 h after exposure of conscious rats to antigen aerosol, and abolished antigen-induced extravasation of Evans blue into BALF.These results indicate that oral N-acetylcysteine exerts an antioxidant protective effect and attenuates pulmonary inflammation in experimental asthma.