Background
In asthma, the decrease of pulmonary function and occurrence of
pulmonary inflammation are largely attributed to the increase of airway
vagal activity, of which the genesis involves disrupted degradation of
central extracellular ATP to adenosine due to decreased expression and
activity of ecto-5’-nucleotidase (CD73). Meanwhile, the therapeutic use
of statins reportedly is able to alleviate asthma; however, the
mechanisms remain unclear. This study test whether rosuvastatin is able
to attenuate the downregulation of central CD73 and, subsequently,
attenuate the increase of airway vagal activity in the rat model of
allergic asthma.