Active immunotherapy of allergic asthma with a recombinant human interleukin-5 protein as vaccine in a murine model.
BACKGROUND
Eosinophils are highly related to allergic asthma inflammation. Interleukin (IL)-5 is the major chemokine of eosinophils, inhibition of the activity of IL-5 thus seems to be a potential approach to asthma therapy. The current study was performed to determine whether a recombinant human IL-5 protein as a xenogeneic vaccine has the capability of inducing anti-asthma activities.


METHODS
Recombinant human IL-5 was used as a protein vaccine. Mouse asthma model was established to observe the anti-asthma activities. Lung histology was observed; eosinophils in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage were stained and counted. Airway hyperresponsiveness was determined by whole body plethysmograph. Antibody characters and cytokines were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot assay.


RESULTS
Vaccination with recombinant human IL-5 protein as vaccine significantly reduced airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness, and shifted the cytokine production from Th2 (IL-4) to Th1 (INF-gamma) in mice allergic-asthma model. Immunization with recombinant human IL-5 protein vaccine bypassed the immunological tolerance and induced production of polyclonal antibodies that were cross-reactive with murine IL-5.


CONCLUSIONS
Active immunization with xenogeneic homologous IL-5 may be a possible therapeutic approach to the treatment of asthma and potentially of other eosinophilic disorders.
Tan
Guang-Hong
GH
Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical College, Haikou 571101, China. tanhoho@163.com
Wang
Cai-Chun
CC
Huang
Feng-Ying
FY
Wang
Hua
H
Huang
Yong-Hao
YH
Lin
Ying-Ying
YY
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000517:prevention & control; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
D016207:Cytokines; D015848:Interleukin-5; D011994:Recombinant Proteins