Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  2002 Jun;12(2):93-104.

Modulation of Eosinophilia and Cytokines of Bronchoalveolar Larvage Fluid(BALF) by CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides(ODN) in a Mouse Model of Established Airway Inflammation

• Mok JS
• Choi SM

Abstract

PURPOSE: Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways that is induced by Th2 cytokines and inhibited by Th1 cytokines. Oligodeoxynucleotides containing a CpG motif(CpG ODN), as potent inducers of Th1 immunity, are considered promising candidates for immune modulation in asthma. In this study we wanted to investigate the effect of CpG ODN on eosinophilia and cytokines of BALF in a mouse model established airway inflammation and the optimal route(systemic vs mucosal) of CpG ODN. We examined the difference of immunologic responses between CpG ODN and corticosteroids.
METHODS
Female BALB/c mice, induced pulmonary allergic inflammation, were treated intranasally or intraperitoneally with CpG ODN and Dexamethasone. Allergen-specific antibody responses, cytokines(IL-4, IL-5, IL-12), and eosinophilic inflammation of the airways were investigated on BALF and splenocyte.
RESULTS
CpG ODN effectively induced IL-12 and inhibited IL-4 and IL-5 as well as eosinophilic inflammation when CpG ODN was administered intranasally or intraperitoneally with allergen challenge. Therapy with corticosteroides, while effective inhibiting IL-5 generation, did not induced IL-12 in BALF.
CONCLUSION
Systemic or mucosal administration of CpG ODN effectively stimulated the production of Th1 cytokines and suppressed eosinophilic airway inflammation in contrast of corticosteroids and control ODN. Thus, CpG ODN vaccination is a potentially useful approach for immunomodulation of established airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma.

Keyword

CpG ODNs; Eosinophils; IL-4; IL-5; IL-12; BALF

MeSH Terms

Administration, Mucosal
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Animals
Antibody Formation
Asthma
Cytokines*
Dexamethasone
Eosinophilia*
Eosinophils
Female
Humans
Immunomodulation
Inflammation*
Interleukin-12
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-5
Mice*
Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
Vaccination
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Cytokines
Dexamethasone
Interleukin-12
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-5
Oligodeoxyribonucleotides