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 α1-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 α1-adrenoreceptor agonist, methoxamine (10 μM), was recorded continuously in a stepwise manner in temperatures that varied from 37 to 10°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°C in comparison with 100% at 37°C in the untreated group, the presence of methoxamine (10 μM) 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 α1-agonist methoxamine (10 μM).