Antigen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness, pulmonary eosinophilia, and chemokine expression in B cell-deficient mice.
Murine models of allergen-induced pulmonary inflammation share many features with human asthma, including the development of antigen-induced pulmonary eosinophilia, airway hyperresponsiveness, antigen-specific cellular and antibody responses, the elaboration of Th2 cytokines (interleukin [IL]-4 and IL-5), and the expression of chemokines with activity for eosinophils. We examined the role of B cells and antigen-specific antibody responses in such a model by studying the histopathologic and physiologic responses of B cell-deficient mice compared with wild-type controls, following systemic immunization and airway challenge with ovalbumin (OVA). Both OVA-challenged wild-type and B cell-deficient mice developed (1) airway hyperresponsiveness, (2) pulmonary inflammation with activated T cells and eosinophils, (3) IL-4 and IL-5 secretion into the airway lumen, and (4) increased expression of the eosinophil active chemokines eotaxin and monocyte chemotactic protein-3. There were no significant differences in either the pathologic or physiologic responses in the B cell-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. These data indicate that B cells and antigen-specific antibodies are not required for the development of airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilic pulmonary inflammation, and chemokine expression in sensitized mice following aerosol challenge with antigen.
MacLean
J A
JA
Clinical Immunology and Allergy Unit and Infectious Disease Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA. maclean@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
Sauty
A
A
Luster
A D
AD
Drazen
J M
JM
De Sanctis
G T
GT
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*
D018925:Chemokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin