Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.  2009 Mar;29(1):53-59.

The Effect of Anti-IgE Antibody on Airway Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Chronic Asthma

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases and asthma. Recently, nonanaphylactogenic antihuman IgE antibody has been used as a therapeutic agent for asthma.
OBJECTIVE
The present study investigated the effect of anti-IgE antibody on the airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in a mouse model of chronic asthma. METHOD: We developed a mouse model of chronic asthma for which ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized female BALB/c- mice were repeatedly exposed to intranasal OVA administration twice a week for 3 months. Anti-IgE antibodies were intravenously administered starting on the 38th day, the next day after 3 challenges and there after once a month during the intranasal OVA challenge of 3 months. RESULT: Mice chronically exposed to OVA developed sustained eosinophilic airway inflammation and AHR to methacholine compared with control mice. Treatment with anti-IgE antibody inhibited the development of AHR and eosinophilic inflammation. Moreover, anti-IgE antibody treatment reduced the interleukin-5 and interleukin-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid but did not show the change in interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-beta1 levels.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that anti-IgE treatment can modulate airway inflammation via regulation of Th2 cytokines.

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antibodies
Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
Asthma
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
Cytokines
Eosinophils
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulins
Inflammation
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-13
Interleukin-5
Methacholine Chloride
Mice
Ovalbumin
Ovum
Antibodies
Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
Cytokines
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulins
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-13
Interleukin-5
Methacholine Chloride
Ovalbumin