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Thorax 61:134-139 doi:10.1136/thx.2005.049403
  • Environmental exposure

Inhalation of stable dust extract prevents allergen induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness

  1. M Peters1,
  2. M Kauth1,
  3. J Schwarze3,4,
  4. C Körner-Rettberg4,
  5. J Riedler5,
  6. D Nowak6,
  7. C Braun-Fahrländer7,
  8. E von Mutius8,
  9. A Bufe1,
  10. O Holst2,
  11. the ALEX Study Group
  1. 1Department of Experimental Pneumology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
  2. 2Division of Structural Biochemistry, Forschungszentrum Borstel, Leibniz-Center for Medicine and Biosciences, Borstel, Germany
  3. 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK
  4. 4Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, St Josef-Hospital, Bochum, Germany
  5. 5Kinderspital Schwarzach, Schwarzach, Austria
  6. 6Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
  7. 7Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Basel, Switzerland
  8. 8Dr von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Munich, Germany
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr M Peters
    Department of Experimental Pneumology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789 Bochum, Germany; marcus.peters{at}rub.de
  • Received 13 July 2005
  • Accepted 10 October 2005
  • Published Online First 21 October 2005

Abstract

Background: Recent epidemiological studies have shown that growing up on a traditional farm provides protection from the development of allergic disorders such as hay fever and allergic asthma. We present experimental evidence that substances providing protection from the development of allergic diseases can be extracted from dust collected in stables of animal farms.

Methods: Stable dust was collected from 30 randomly selected farms located in rural regions of the Alps (Austria, Germany and Switzerland). The dust was homogenised with glass beads and extracted with physiological sodium chloride solution. This extract was used to modulate immune response in a well established mouse model of allergic asthma.

Results: Treatment of mice by inhalation of stable dust extract during sensitisation to ovalbumin inhibited the development of airway hyperresponsiveness and airway eosinophilia upon challenge, as well as the production of interleukin 5 by splenocytes and of antigen specific IgG1 and IgE. Dust extract also suppressed the generation of human dendritic cells in vitro. The biological activity of the dust extract was not exclusively mediated by lipopolysaccharide.

Conclusions: Stable dust from animal farms contains strong immune modulating substances. These substances can interfere with the development of both cellular and humoral immunity against allergens, thus suppressing allergen sensitisation, airway inflammation, and airway hyperresponsiveness in a murine model of allergic asthma.

Footnotes

  • Published Online First 21 October 2005

  • MP and MK contributed equally to the manuscript.

  • This study was supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG: BU-762/5-1, HO-1259/4-1).

  • Competing interests: none.