title: Induction of IgE and allergic-type responses in fur mite-infested mice.
abstract: High serum IgE levels are characteristic of allergic diseases and immune responses to nematode parasites. A murine allergy model based on infestation with the fur mites Myocoptes musculinus and Myobia musculi was investigated. Analysis of mite infestation in various knockout mice revealed that IgE production in response to these ectoparasites was dependent on T cells, IL-4, and CD40L. Secretion of IL-4 by CD4+ T cells obtained from peripheral LN draining mite-infested skin sites was increased with progressing mite infestation and correlated with the serum IgE induction. A time course analysis of the mRNA expression of switched IgE, activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), and epsilon germ-line transcripts (epsilonGLT) suggested that switching to IgE in response to fur mites occurred initially in skin-draining LN. In addition, mite infestation induced mast cell degranulation in the skin as well as mast cell infiltration into skin-draining LN. Analysis of the immune response generated in mite-infested mice is a valuable model for the investigation of allergic disorders and provides information for better understanding of mechanisms involved in IgE induction and regulation in a physiological way of allergen-exposure resembling atopic sensitization in humans.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Immunology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pochanke
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hatak
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hengartner
authors.forename: Rolf M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zinkernagel
authors.forename: Kathy D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: McCoy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000276:immunology; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000276:immunology; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000276:immunology*; D008925:Mites; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D000098830:AICDA (Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase)
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D000098830:AICDA (Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase); D003564:Cytidine Deaminase