title: Chronic airway disease: deteriorating pulmonary function in sheep associated with repeated challenges of house dust mite.
abstract: The aim of this work was to characterize lung function and cellular responses in a large animal model for chronic asthma. All sheep were sensitized to house dust mite (HDM) by subcutaneous injection of HDM before lung challenges. Groups of sheep were given weekly lung challenges with either HDM (n = 12) or saline (control, n = 5) for 3 months. Post challenge, there were significant increases in lung resistance in 7 out of 12 HDM-challenged sheep, compared to control sheep. In HDM-responding sheep, there was a progressive increase in the magnitude of HDM-induced resistance throughout the trial. All HDM-challenged sheep developed BAL eosinophilia and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. In conclusion, sheep chronically challenged intralung with HDM consistently develop airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilia, whereas allergen-specific bronchoconstriction is observed in just over half of these sheep.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Animal Biotechnology, Department of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koumoundouros
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bischof
authors.forename: Els N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Meeusen
authors.forename: Iven M Y
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Mareels
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Snibson
mesh_terms: D000403:Airway Resistance; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides