Inhalation of cotton bract is known to cause airway infloammation. Tannin is one component of cotton bract which is thought to cause some of the inflammatory changes seem. Airway epithelial cells are the first cells to encounter inhales dusts and are thought to modulate inflammation. To study the effect of cotton tannin (CT) on airway epithelial cells, bovine bronchial epithelial cells (BBECs) in culture were stimulated with CT (100 µ/ml). Neutrophil chemotactic activity (NCA) to the BBEC supernatants harvested at +48 hours was determined using a modified blindwell chamber. There was significant release of NCA in response to CT at 100 µ/ml stimulation compared to negative control (105 cells vs 44 cells/hpf, p < .05). There was release of increased amounts of LDH into the supernatant medium after CT challenge compared to negative controls. Challenge of BBECs with CT prior to confluence revealed