Faculty Collaboration Database

Role of particulate antigens of Aspergillus in murine eosinophilia. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 1997 Mar;112(3):270-8

Date

03/01/1997

Pubmed ID

9066514

DOI

10.1159/000237465

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0031051223 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   35 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, a disabling hypersensitivity lung disease, results from inhalation of Aspergillus fumigatus antigens present in contaminated environments. A murine model has been developed to understand the immune mechanism involved in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. We have investigated the immunoregulatory role of different physical forms of A.fumigatus antigens, such as A.fumigatus spores, soluble antigens. and soluble antigen coupled inert particles, in the model.

METHODS: BALB/c mice were exposed to soluble A.fumigatus antigens, spores, or inert particles of comparable size to the spores coupled with A.fumigatus soluble antigens. Antibody and eosinophil response, pulmonary pathology, and cytokine expressions were studied.

RESULTS: Peripheral blood eosinophilia and pulmonary inflammation with influx of eosinophils into the lung was detected more in animals exposed to particulate antigens than in those exposed to soluble antigen. However, the total serum IgE and Aspergillus-specific IgG levels showed only a slight increase in the former groups as opposed to elevated levels in animals exposed to soluble antigen. The cytokine expression in in vitro antigen stimulated spleen cells showed a typical Th2 pattern in all antigen-exposed animals. IL-5 mRNA could be detected in the spleen cells cultured with antigen from all groups of antigen-exposed animals.

CONCLUSION: Particulate A.fumigatus antigens induced eosinophilia in mice prior to the elevation of serum IgE levels. This pattern of IgE and eosinophilia is reversed with the soluble antigen exposure in this model.

Author List

Kurup VP, Choi H, Murali PS, Resnick A, Fink JN, Coffman RL

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Antibodies, Fungal
Antibody Specificity
Antigens, Fungal
Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary
Aspergillus fumigatus
Bone Marrow
Bone Marrow Cells
Cytokines
Eosinophilia
Eosinophils
Female
Immunoglobulin E
Interferon-gamma
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-5
Lung
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Peroxidase
RNA, Messenger
Spleen
Spores, Fungal