[Expression of protein arginine N-methyltransferases in E3 rat models of acute asthma].

OBJECTIVE To observe the expression of protein arginine N-methyltransferase (PRMT) genes in the lung and spleen of E3 rats with acute asthma. METHODS E3 rats with ovalbumin-induced pulmonary inflammation were divided into two groups (n=10), and the validity of the acute asthma model was evaluated by histological observation with HE and PAS staining and by measurement of NO production. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was employed to detect the expressions of PRMT1-PRMT6 genes in the lung and spleen tissues of the rats. RESULTS In the lung tissue of the asthmatic rats, the gene expressions of PRMT1 (P<0.01), PRMT2 (P<0.01), PRMT3 (P<0.05) and PRMT5 (P<0.05) were significantly increased, but the expression of PRMT4 gene (P<0.05) was significantly decreased as compared with those in the control tissue. In the spleen tissue of the asthmatic rats, the expressions of PRMT2 (P<0.05) and PRMT5 genes (P<0.05) showed a significant increase as compared with those in the control rat tissue. CONCLUSION The gene expressions of PRMTs vary significantly between asthmatic rats and control rats, suggesting that PRMTs play an important role in the post-translational modification process of asthma-related genes.