EFFECT OF CORTICOSTEROIDS AND MONTELUKAST ON DESMOSOMES AND ICAM-1 EXPRESSION IN EPITHELIAL CELLS

PURPOSE: Corticosteroids, the first line treatment for asthma patients, are known to act via their pro-apoptotic effect on inflammatory cells. However, their effect on constitutive airway cells is less clear. We examined epithelial desmosomes and ICAM expression in cultured airway epithelial cells and primary endothelial cells before and after treatment with corticosteroids and montelukast.