Screening models for respiratory pharmacology: anti-asthmatics and COPD drugs MCQs With Answer

Screening models for respiratory pharmacology: anti-asthmatics and COPD drugs MCQs With Answer is designed to help M.Pharm students deepen their understanding of preclinical models used to evaluate therapies for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This set of focused multiple-choice questions covers mechanisms of bronchoconstriction, common animal and in vitro models, endpoints such as airway hyperresponsiveness, bronchoalveolar lavage analysis, plethysmography, and inflammatory biomarkers. Emphasis is placed on model selection, translational relevance, limitations, and pharmacological readouts for bronchodilators, anti-inflammatory agents, and disease-modifying therapies. These MCQs reinforce conceptual knowledge and practical considerations necessary for designing and interpreting respiratory pharmacology screening studies.

Q1. Which animal model is classically used for assessing acute bronchoconstriction induced by histamine or methacholine and for testing bronchodilators?

• Guinea pig conscious plethysmography model measuring Penh
• Guinea pig tracheal chain preparation in organ bath
• Mouse cigarette smoke exposure model for emphysema
• Rat elastase-induced emphysema model

Correct Answer: Guinea pig tracheal chain preparation in organ bath

Q2. In active sensitization models of allergic asthma (e.g., ovalbumin, OVA), which endpoint best indicates airway hyperresponsiveness?

• Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) total protein only
• Increased methacholine-induced increases in airway resistance
• Decrease in body weight after sensitization
• Serum glucose elevation post-challenge

Correct Answer: Increased methacholine-induced increases in airway resistance

Q3. Which of the following is considered a limitation of the Penh parameter in whole-body plethysmography for measuring airway responsiveness?

• Penh is highly specific to bronchoconstriction
• Penh can be influenced by changes in breathing pattern and upper airway resistance
• Penh directly measures lung compliance and elastance
• Penh requires invasive tracheostomy

Correct Answer: Penh can be influenced by changes in breathing pattern and upper airway resistance

Q4. Which inflammatory cell predominates in BALF in classical allergic (Th2) asthma models?

• Neutrophils
• Eosinophils
• Macrophages
• B lymphocytes

Correct Answer: Eosinophils

Q5. For modeling COPD phenotypes characterized by emphysema and alveolar destruction, which experimental approach is commonly employed?

• Ovalbumin (OVA) acute airway challenge
• Elastase instillation into the lung
• Single-dose intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
• Methacholine aerosol challenge

Correct Answer: Elastase instillation into the lung

Q6. Which pharmacological class primarily acts on β2-adrenergic receptors to produce bronchodilation in experimental models?

• Muscarinic M3 antagonists
• Inhaled corticosteroids
• Short- and long-acting β2-agonists
• Leukotriene receptor antagonists

Correct Answer: Short- and long-acting β2-agonists

Q7. In cigarette smoke exposure models for COPD, which readout is most relevant to chronic airway inflammation and emphysema?

• Acute histamine-induced bronchoconstriction only
• Time-dependent increases in alveolar airspace enlargement and neutrophilic inflammation
• Immediate eosinophil influx only
• Decreased liver enzymes

Correct Answer: Time-dependent increases in alveolar airspace enlargement and neutrophilic inflammation

Q8. Which technique provides the most direct measurement of airway resistance and compliance in anesthetized rodents?

• Conscious whole-body plethysmography measuring Penh
• Invasive mechanical ventilation with forced oscillation technique (FOT)
• Noninvasive blood gas analysis
• Ex vivo tracheal histology without functional testing

Correct Answer: Invasive mechanical ventilation with forced oscillation technique (FOT)

Q9. Which biomarker in BALF is commonly measured to evaluate airway epithelial permeability and protein leakage in lung injury models?

• Interleukin-4 (IL-4)
• Albumin or total protein concentration
• C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum
• Blood glucose

Correct Answer: Albumin or total protein concentration

Q10. Which preclinical model is most appropriate to study neutrophilic, steroid-resistant airway inflammation representative of some COPD phenotypes?

• OVA-sensitized mouse acute eosinophilic model
• LPS-induced acute neutrophilic airway inflammation or cigarette smoke exposure
• Guinea pig isolated tracheal ring contracted by histamine
• Mouse model of Type I hypersensitivity to milk protein

Correct Answer: LPS-induced acute neutrophilic airway inflammation or cigarette smoke exposure

Q11. In ex vivo tracheal ring assays, which neurotransmitter receptor blockade predicts efficacy of anticholinergic bronchodilators?

• β2-adrenergic receptor blockade
• Muscarinic M3 receptor blockade
• Histamine H1 receptor blockade
• Nitric oxide synthase inhibition

Correct Answer: Muscarinic M3 receptor blockade

Q12. Which endpoint is most indicative of airway remodeling in chronic asthma models following repeated allergen challenge?

• Immediate bronchoconstriction to methacholine
• Subepithelial collagen deposition and smooth muscle hypertrophy on histology
• Transient fever after challenge
• Serum triglyceride elevation

Correct Answer: Subepithelial collagen deposition and smooth muscle hypertrophy on histology

Q13. For inhaled drug screening, which factor strongly influences deposition pattern and pharmacological effect in small animal models?

• Aerosol particle size distribution and aerosol generation method
• Color of the aerosol generator
• Ambient light intensity during dosing
• Time of day only

Correct Answer: Aerosol particle size distribution and aerosol generation method

Q14. Which cytokine profile is typically associated with Th2-driven asthma models rather than COPD models?

• High IL-4, IL-5, IL-13
• High TNF-α and IL-1β only
• Predominant IL-17A without IL-5
• Elevated interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) exclusively

Correct Answer: High IL-4, IL-5, IL-13

Q15. Which pharmacological agent is commonly used as a positive control for bronchodilation in preclinical airway models?

• Ipratropium or tiotropium (muscarinic antagonists)
• Dexamethasone (corticosteroid)
• Indomethacin (NSAID)
• Ciprofloxacin (antibiotic)

Correct Answer: Ipratropium or tiotropium (muscarinic antagonists)

Q16. When assessing drug effects on mucus hypersecretion in models of airway disease, which measurement is most relevant?

• Goblet cell hyperplasia and mucin (MUC5AC) expression in airway epithelium
• Serum creatinine
• Number of alveolar macrophages only
• Tail flick latency

Correct Answer: Goblet cell hyperplasia and mucin (MUC5AC) expression in airway epithelium

Q17. Which of the following best describes a translational limitation when using small rodent asthma models to predict human clinical efficacy?

• Rodents lack airways and lungs
• Differences in immune system balance (Th cell subsets), airway anatomy and scale can limit direct translation
• Rodents always develop identical disease to humans
• Rodent models are unaffected by dose or route of administration

Correct Answer: Differences in immune system balance (Th cell subsets), airway anatomy and scale can limit direct translation

Q18. Which assay is most appropriate to quantify neutrophilic inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid?

• Differential cell count and neutrophil percentage/absolute number
• Serum glucose measurement
• Urine microscopy for crystals
• Brain histology

Correct Answer: Differential cell count and neutrophil percentage/absolute number

Q19. Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitors are explored for COPD because they primarily:

• Increase intracellular cAMP in inflammatory cells, reducing inflammation
• Block muscarinic receptors on airway smooth muscle
• Directly break down mucus glycoproteins
• Act as antibiotics against lung pathogens

Correct Answer: Increase intracellular cAMP in inflammatory cells, reducing inflammation

Q20. Which ethical and experimental consideration is most important when choosing a respiratory screening model for a new anti-asthmatic compound?

• Selection of model should ignore route of administration
• Model choice should match the drug’s mechanism, intended route, relevant endpoints, and minimize animal distress
• Always choose the smallest possible dose regardless of pharmacology
• Exclude measurement of physiological endpoints to reduce complexity

Correct Answer: Model choice should match the drug’s mechanism, intended route, relevant endpoints, and minimize animal distress

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