title: Development of Allergic Conjunctivitis Induced by House Dust Mite Extract From Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to develop a murine model of allergic conjunctivitis induced by house dust mite (HDM) extract from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, a major allergen in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty BALB/c mice were divided into five groups, immunized with placebo, ovalbumin (10 μg), or HDM extract following a schedule. Twenty minutes after topical challenge, mice were examined clinically. Material collected from mice was used for measuring total and specific IgE, antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation, and supernatant cytokine levels and for conjunctival histopathology and flow cytometric analysis of conjunctival cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This murine model showed similar clinical signs and laboratory findings to human allergy and the ovalbumin-induced allergic conjunctivitis model. Total IgE levels and conjunctival infiltration of mast cells and eosinophils in immunized mice were significantly higher than in the control group. Cervical lymphocyte proliferation was increased in antigen-stimulated cultures in immunized mice, concomitant with significantly higher IL-4 and IL-5 levels in the culture supernatant. The proportion of conjunctival CD4+ T cells expressing the ST2 receptor was increased, and conjunctival CD4+ST2+ T cells exhibited an increase in intracellular IL-5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  House dust mite extract successfully induced allergic conjunctivitis in BALB/c mice. Ten micrograms of HDM extract was the optimal dose for systemic immunization in this model. This murine model is suitable for further studies on HDM-induced allergic conjunctivitis, and the data show that conjunctival CD4+ T cells expressing ST2 may play an important role in IL-5 secretion, recruiting eosinophils into conjunctiva on ocular allergen challenge.
authors.affiliation: Yonsei Plus Eye Clinic Seongnam, South Korea 2Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Ji
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea 3Department of Ophthalmology, International St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea 4Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Myung-Gok Eye Research Institute, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South K.
authors.forename: Jin Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung Yul
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Seo
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D040002:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007073:Immunoglobulin E