title: Phenotypic comparison of allergic airway responses to house dust mite in three rat strains.
abstract: Brown Norway (BN) rats develop a robust response to antigens in the lung, characterized by a large increase in allergen-specific immune function and pulmonary eosinophilia. The objective of this study was to investigate alternative models by determining whether other rat strains could be sensitized to house dust mite (HDM) antigen and whether the allergic disease process could be worsened with repeated allergen exposure. In general, BN rats sensitized by either subcutaneous or intratracheal routes exhibited increased pulmonary allergy compared with Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Lewis (L) rats. Multiple intratracheal allergen exposures incrementally increased HDM-specific immune function in BN rats but progressively decreased eosinophil recruitment and markers of lung injury. SD rats had more moderate responses, whereas L rats were relatively unresponsive. Because BN rats developed stronger clinical hallmarks of allergic asthma under various immunization regimes compared with SD and L rats, we conclude that the BN is the most appropriate strain for studying allergic asthma-like responses in rats. Phenotypic differences in response to HDM were associated with differences in the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance and antioxidant capacity.
authors.affiliation: North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh 27606, USA.
authors.forename: Pramila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Darrell W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Winsett
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doerfler
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.forename: Kenneth B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: M Ian
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Gilmour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000276:immunology; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D010641:Phenotype; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018793:Interleukin-13; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma