title: Mouse models of acute exacerbations of allergic asthma.
abstract: Most of the healthcare costs associated with asthma relate to emergency department visits and hospitalizations because of acute exacerbations of underlying chronic disease. Development of appropriate animal models of acute exacerbations of asthma is a necessary prerequisite for understanding pathophysiological mechanisms and assessing potential novel therapeutic approaches. Most such models have been developed using mice. Relatively few mouse models attempt to simulate the acute-on-chronic disease that characterizes human asthma exacerbations. Instead, many reported models involve relatively short-term challenge with an antigen to which animals are sensitized, followed closely by an unrelated triggering agent, so are better described as models of potentiation of acute allergic inflammation. Triggers for experimental models of asthma exacerbations include (i) challenge with high levels of the sensitizing allergen (ii) infection by viruses or fungi, or challenge with components of these microorganisms (iii) exposure to environmental pollutants. In this review, we examine the strengths and weaknesses of published mouse models, their application for investigation of novel treatments and potential future developments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney.
authors.forename: Rakesh K
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9531-8411
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney.
authors.forename: Cristan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.affiliation: Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease, University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens
keywords: allergic asthma; animal models; exacerbations; preclinical studies; respiratory viruses