title: Inflammation and remodeling in infantile, juvenile, and adult allergic sensitized mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airway structural changes occur early in childhood asthma, but it is unknown whether the development of airway alterations in children is similar to that of adults. We compared inflammation and remodeling parameters in allergic sensitized infantile, juvenile, and adult mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infantile mice (18D) were sensitized with three intraperitoneal injections (i.p.) of ovalbumin (OVA) at days 5 and 7 and challenged with OVA at days 14-16. The 18D1 group received an additional challenge at days 9-11. The juvenile mice (40D) received challenges at days 22-24 and 36-38. Adult mice (100D) were sensitized at days 60-62 and received three inhalations at days 77-79 and 96-98. Animals were submitted to whole body plethysmography. Airway eosinophils, CD3+ T-lymphocytes, IL-5+ cells, mucus content, collagen and reticular fibers density, and smooth muscle thickness were quantified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All sensitized animals presented with airway hyperresponsiveness, without differences in eosinophil cell density. The density of CD3+ T-cells was higher in the 100D and 18D1 groups than in the 18D and 40D groups. Infantile sensitized groups demonstrated increased interleukin-5 expression in the airways. Infantile mice demonstrated more mucus in the bronchiolar epithelium than the 40D and 100D mice. The 18D animals demonstrated less collagen than the 18D1 group. Juvenile and adult mice had increased airway smooth muscle thickness when compared to age-matched controls, but no differences were observed in the infantile groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that infantile mice develop inflammatory and structural alterations in the airways that are partially different from those developed in older animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Carnieli
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lanças
authors.forename: Fernanda M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Arantes
authors.forename: Adenir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.forename: Milton A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Paulo Hilário N
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Saldiva
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dolhnikoff
authors.forename: Thais
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mauad
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D056151:Airway Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002452:Cell Count; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000473:pathology; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010323:Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis / Q000276:immunology; D010991:Plethysmography; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin