title: Co-exposure to zymosan A and heat-inactivated Asian sand dust exacerbates ovalbumin-induced murine lung eosinophilia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological studies have implicated Asian sand dust (ASD) in the increased prevalence of respiratory disorders, including asthma. It has been observed that fungal elements such as β-glucan can be adsorbed onto ASD. In the present study, the exacerbating effect of the combined exposure to zymosan A (ZymA) containing yeast β-glucan and heat-inactivated ASD on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine lung eosinophilia was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  BALB/c mice were repeatedly instilled intratracheally with one of eight immunogenic formulations consisting of various combinations of (1) ZymA, (2) ASD that was briefly heated to remove organic substances (H-ASD), and (3) OVA in normal saline, or each of the above alone. Pathologic changes, cytological alterations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), changes in inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in BALF, and OVA-specific IgE and IgG1antibodies in serum were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure to ZymA with or without OVA had no effect on most indicators of lung inflammation. Exposure to H-ASD with OVA increased the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the lungs and the serum levels of OVA-specific IgE and IgG1. The combination OVA + ZymA + H-ASD induced a marked recruitment of eosinophils and upregulation of T helper 2 (Th2) cytokines (interleukin [IL]-4 and IL-13), IL-6, eotaxin/CCL11, and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-3/CCL7 in BALF and OVA-specific IgE in serum. This treatment also induced the most severe pathological changes in the lungs of mice. ZymA was found to boost the effects of H-ASD, thereby exacerbating the OVA-induced allergic inflammation, even though ZymA alone did not have such effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that fungal elements such as β-1,3-glucan aggravate the allergic inflammation caused by ASD. Our findings may facilitate prophylaxis of some allergic diseases in Asia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Oita, 870-1201 Japan.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sadakane
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Oita, 870-1201 Japan.
authors.forename: Takamichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichinose
authors.affiliation: Environmental Chemistry Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506 Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.affiliation: Environmental Health Division, Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 615-8530 Japan.
authors.forename: Hirohisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibamoto
keywords: Asian sand dust; Eosinophils; IgE; Ovalbumin; Th2; Zymosan A