Antiinterleukin-5 antibody prevents airway hyperresponsiveness in a murine model of airway sensitization.
Eosinophils play a central role in the inflammatory response associated with bronchial asthma. We studied the involvement of eosinophils in the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in a mouse model of allergic airway sensitization. Sensitization of BALB/c mice to OVA via the airways induced allergen-specific T-cell responses, IgE production, immediate cutaneous hypersensitivity (ICH), and increased airway reactivity. Airway sensitization was associated with eosinophil infiltration of the airways and increased production of interleukin-5 (IL-5) in cultures of peribronchial lymph node cells. Treatment of OVA-challenged animals with anti-IL-5 antibody during the sensitization protocol completely abolished the infiltration of eosinophils into the lung tissue and prevented the development of AHR without affecting levels of allergen-specific IgE, cutaneous hypersensitivity and allergen-specific T cell responses. These findings demonstrate that infiltration of lung tissue by eosinophils, triggered by increased IL-5 production, is a major factor in the development of AHR in this mouse model of airway sensitization.
Hamelmann
E
E
Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA.
Oshiba
A
A
Loader
J
J
Larsen
G L
GL
Gleich
G
G
Lee
J
J
Gelfand
E W
EW
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology*; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*
D015848:Interleukin-5; D015847:Interleukin-4; D010047:Ovalbumin