Document Type

Article

Disciplines

Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Acute exposure of sensitized mice to antigen elicits allergic airway disease (AAD) characterized by Th2 cytokine-dependent pulmonary eosinophilia, methacholine hyperresponsiveness and antigen-specific IgE elevation. However, chronic exposure induces a local inhalational tolerance (LIT), with resolution of the airway responses but persistent systemic IgE production. To further determine if systemic immunologic responses were maintained during LIT, we assessed subcutaneous late phase responses to ovalbumin in this model. Sensitized and AAD mice developed small subcutaneous responses to ovalbumin, with footpad thickness increasing to 113.7 and 113.6% of baseline, respectively. In comparison, LIT mice developed marked foot swelling (141.6%). Histologic examination confirmed increased inflammation in the chronic animals, with a significant contribution by eosinophils. Thus, the resolution of airway inflammatory responses with chronic antigen inhalation is a localized response, not associated with loss of systemic responses to antigen.

Comments

Immunol Cell Biol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2008 October 31. Published in final edited form as: Immunol Cell Biol. 2008; 86(6): 535–538. Published online 2008 May 6. doi: 10.1038/icb.2008.32 PMCID: PMC2576509 NIHMSID: NIHMS72334

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