Abstract.
Objective and design: We examined the effect of airway inflammation on airway remodeling and bronchial responsiveness in a mouse model of allergic asthma.¶Materials and methods: BALB/c mice were sensitized to ovalbumin (OA), and exposed to aerosolized OA (0.01, 0.1 and 1%). Twenty-four hours after the final antigen challenge, bronchial responsiveness was measured, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and histological examinations were carried out.¶Results: Repeated antigen exposure induced airway inflammation, IgE/IgG1 responses, epithelial changes, collagen deposition in the lungs, subepithelial fibrosis associated with increases in the amount of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in BAL fluid (BALF), and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to acetylcholine. The number of eosinophils in BALF was significantly correlated with TGF-β1 production in BALF and the amount of hydroxyproline. Furthermore, significant correlations were found between these fibrogenic parameters and the bronchial responsiveness.¶Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that in this murine model airway eosinophilic inflammation is responsible for the development of airway remodeling as well as bronchial hyperresponsiveness in allergic bronchial asthma.
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Received 11 April 2001; returned for revision 17 June 2001; returned for final revision 19 August 2001; accepted by M. Katori 24 August 2001
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Tanaka, H., Masuda, T., Tokuoka, S. et al. The effect of allergen-induced airway inflammation on airway remodeling in a murine model of allergic asthma. Inflamm. res. 50, 616–624 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00000243
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00000243