Strain-dependent suppressive effects of BCG vaccination on asthmatic reactions in BALB/c mice.
BACKGROUND
The choice of BCG vaccine strain may play an important role in vaccination efficiency.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the suppressive effects of BCG on asthma depend on the strain of BCG.


METHODS
Female BALB/c mice were injected intraperitoneally with 1 of 4 different strains of BCG (1 X 10(6) CFU): Pasteur F1173P2, Tokyo 172, Tice, and Connaught. Seven days later, the animals were sensitized by 2 injections of ovalbumin (20 microg) at 2-week intervals before being provoked with 1% ovalbumin aerosols on 3 successive days. Thereafter, the mice underwent a methacholine bronchial challenge and were killed to quantify the inflammatory cells and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and the supernatant of cultured splenocytes.


RESULTS
The eosinophil proportion in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was significantly lower and the concentration of interferon-gamma and the interferon-gamma-interleukin 5 (IL-5) ratio in the supernatant of cultured splenocytes were significantly higher in each of the BCG-treated groups (n=10 per group) than in the asthma control group (n=15). However, the methacholine sensitivity (P < .05) and IL-5 concentration (P < .01) in the supernatant of cultured splenocytes were significantly lower only in the group treated with the Tokyo strain of BCG. There was a significant positive correlation between IL-5 and IL-10 concentrations (r = 0.79; P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The 4 strains of BCG suppressed asthma to different degrees, but all strains induced a shift in the T(H)1/T(H)2 balance toward T(H)1 without increasing IL-10-related regulatory T-cell activity.
Choi
Inseon S
IS
Department of Allergy, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea. ischoi@chonnam.chonnam.ac.kr
Lin
Xiang-Hua
XH
Koh
Young-Ah
YA
Koh
Youngil I
YI
Lee
Hyun-Chul
HC
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000276:immunology*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000145:classification*; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013045:Species Specificity; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D014611:Vaccination
D001500:BCG Vaccine; D016207:Cytokines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin