Pilot Study to Identify the Mediators and Inflammatory Cell Surface Receptors Involved in Allergic Airway Inflammation

Eligibility Criteria

• 1. All subjects will have a baseline FEV1 determined at the characterization visit that is no less than 75 % of the predicted value.
• 2. All subjects will have a clinical history of allergic symptoms to cat or dust mite allergen and demonstrated skin reactivity (a positive allergen prick test).
• 3. Life-long absence of cigarette smoking (defined as a lifetime total of less than 5 pack-years); none in 5 years).
• 4. Willing and able to give informed consent.
• 5. Expressed the desire to participate in an interview with the principal investigator.
• 6. Age between 18 and 50 years.
• 1. Women of childbearing potential who are documented to be pregnant (based on Urine beta-HCG testing), are sexually active and not using contraception, are seeking to become pregnant, or who are nursing.
• 2. The presence of spontaneous asthmatic episode or clinical evidence of upper respiratory tract infection within the previous 6 weeks.
• 3. Participation in research study involving a drug or biologic during the 30 days prior to the study.
• 4. Intolerance to albuterol, atropine, lidocaine, fentanyl, or midazolam.
• 5. Antihistamines within 7 days of the screening visit.
• 6. Presence of diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, history of a cerebrovascular accident, renal failure, history of anaphylaxis, or cirrhosis.
• 7. Use of systemic steroids, increased use of inhaled steroids, beta blockers and MAO inhibitors or a visit for an asthma exacerbation within 1 month of the screening visit.
• 8. Antibiotic use for respiratory disease within 1 month of the characterization visit or a respiratory tract infection within 6 weeks of the bronchoscopy visits.
• 9. A history of asthma-related respiratory failure requiring intubation.
• 10. Quantitative skin-prick test positive reaction down to an allergen concentration of 0.056 BAU or AU/ml .
• 11. Taking beta-adrenergic blocking agents or monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
• 12. Subjects with a high possibility of poor compliance with the study.
• 13. No history of cigarette smoking within the past 5 years or \> 10 pack years total.
• 14. Having second-hand cigarette smoke exposure or indoor furry pets except in the case of dog, if the subject is not allergic to the dog and the subject has a negative skin test to dog (It is also preferred but not required that dust mite allergic subjects have dust mite-proof encasings on their mattress and pillows.)
• 15. Other lung diseases, such as sarcoidosis, bronchiectasis or active lung infection.
• 16. Use of Xolair (omalizumab - anti-IgE monoclonal antibody) for 6 months.
• 17. Immunotherapy with cat or dust mite extract now or in the past.
• 18. Non-English speakers.
• 19. History of coagulopathy, thrombocytopenia, pulmonary hypertension, and/or use of anti-coagulants/anti-platelet drugs.