[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.