Cough mouse model

Whooping cough is a respiratory disease caused by infection with the bacterium B.

A heavy cough is described as a paroxysmal cough - a severe cough that often affects the patient's ability to breathe

"We inoculated the bacteria through the noses of mice," said Yukihiro Hiramatsu, lead author of the study

The researchers first tested pertussis toxin (PTx) because it was previously thought to play a role in coughing

Senior author Yasuhiko Horiguchi explains: "Various functional experiments have shown that, in addition to PTx, two components are involved in cough production

Mechanistically, the team determined that LOS induces a molecule called bradykinin, which sensitizes an ion channel called TRPV1 and causes the cough reflex

"These three molecules work together to exacerbate bradykinin and TRPV1 signaling, ultimately leading to coughing," Hiramatsu described

The team's work is significant because they have not only developed the first mouse model of whooping cough, but have also identified specific bacterial factors that contribute to a debilitating cough