title: Gender comparison in a murine model of allergen-driven airway inflammation and the response to budesonide treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence suggests that gender differences exist in the severity of many immunological diseases and their response to glucocorticosteroid treatment. In this report, we have used a murine model of ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation to address whether gender could affect the systemic response, airway inflammation and hyperreactivity and their responses to budesonide.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following an acute ovalbumin challenge, actively sensitised BALB/c mice developed a time-dependent increase in interleukin-4 and interleukin-5 production and inflammatory cell influx into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Apart from an increased number of lymphocytes in female mice at day 3 post-challenge, none of the above parameters were affected by gender. Blood leukocyte numbers were also unaffected, whereas a two-fold increase in total serum immunoglobulin E was observed in female mice. Budesonide, given intranasally, did not affect the blood parameters, but dose-dependently inhibited the pulmonary inflammation and airway hyperreactivity in both male and female mice. Female mice were slightly less sensitive to budesonide's inhibitory action on interleukin-5 production and the development of airway hyperreactivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that, apart from a 2-fold increase in serum immunoglobulin E levels observed in female mice, gender is not a major factor in the present murine model of ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation. In contrast, gender might slightly influence the potency of test compounds such as steroids.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Diseases Area, Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, Horsham, UK. rcorteli@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Randolph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corteling
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trifilieff
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D019819:Budesonide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D019819:Budesonide