Expression of the Foxp3 gene in spleen mononuclear cells of a mouse model with allergic rhinitis.
OBJECTIVE
There is growing speculation that the impairment in regulatory-T-cell (Treg)-mediated dominant tolerance may play an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis (AR). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the changes in the forkhead transcription factor 3 (Foxp3) gene expression may aggravate nasal mucosal inflammation in allergic mice, and whether or not these features result from the loss of Tregs.


METHODS
AR was induced by both intraperitoneal injection and intranasal administration of ovalbumin in BALB/c mice, while the control mice were treated with saline. A comparison of the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the AR and control mice was made by flow cytometry. Spleen mononuclear cells were used for RNA extraction and RT-PCR was used to measure Foxp3 mRNA expression.


RESULTS
The expression of the Foxp3 gene was significantly reduced in spleen mononuclear cells in AR mice compared with the control. Moreover, a significant decrease in the percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs was exhibited in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of AR mice compared with the control mice.


CONCLUSIONS
The insufficiency of Tregs and the Foxp3 gene may contribute to the development of AR in mice.
Han
Demin
D
Key Laboratory, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Beijing, PR China.
Xi
Lin
L
Fan
Erzhong
E
Li
Ying
Y
Zhang
Luo
L
D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; C508018:Il2ra protein, mouse; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010047:Ovalbumin