The Inhibitory Effect of BCG on the Allergic Inflammation in House Dustmite-Induced Mouse

Kim, Soo Whan; Yeo, Sang Won

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The animal model of allergic rhinitis is important to study the pathophysiology of allergy and to design an effective treatment for allergic disease. The purpose of this study was to establish the animal model for allergic rhinitis by local sensitization with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p), the most common allergen in Korea. We also investigated anti-allergic effect of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) in this model. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Six-week-old female BALB/c mice were divided into three groups; an allergic rhinitis group, a BCG group sensitized with Der p by local sensitization for 7 weeks, and a normal control group which received phosphate buffered saline. BCG group received 1 x 1(5) colony-forming units/ml of BCG subcutaneously once in a week for 7 weeks. The mice were examined for nasal allergic symptoms and nasal mucosa eosinophilia. Analyses of serum total IgE level, cytokine pattern and eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were carried out.
RESULTS
The results were as follows: Allergic symptoms were more significantly increased in the allergic rhinitis group than in the normal control group (p<0.001), and was more significantly decreased in the BCG group allergic rhinitis group (p<0.001). Eosinophil count in nasal mucosa was more significantly increased in the allergic rhinitis group than in the normal control group (p<0.001), and was more significantly decreased in the BCG group than in the allergic rhinitis group (p<0.001). Serum total IgE was more significantly increased in the allergic rhinitis group (p<0.001) and BCG group (p<0.001) than in the normal control group, andwas not more significantly decreased in the BCG group than in the allergic rhinitis group. Total cells and macrophages, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and neutrophils in the BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) fluid were significantly increased in the allergic rhinitis group than in the normal control group (p<0.01), and were significantly decreased in the BCG group than in the allergic rhinitis group (p<0.01). The IFN-gamma levels in BAL fluid were more significantly decreased in the allergic rhinitis group than in the normal control group (p<0.001), and were more significantly increased in the BCG group than in the allergic rhinitis group (p=0.019). IL-13 levels in the BAL fluid were more significantly increased in the allergic rhinitis group (p=0.042) and BCG group (p<0.001) than in the normal control group, and was not significantly decreased in the BCG group than in the allergic rhinitis group.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that we can design murine allergic rhinitis model for Der p allergen only through local sensitization, and BCG was found to exhibit antiallergic effect in this model.