J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.  1999 Dec;19(6):959-968.

The comparison of ovalbumin sensitization by intraperitoneal injection and by inhalation in the development of guinea pig asthma model

• Kim YY
• Kim YK
• Chang YS
• Jung JW
• Cho SH
• Min KU
• Lee BJ
• Lee SR
• Park HW
• Kim SH
• Park WS

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The induction of allergic sensitization is the key process of guinea pig asthma model, but few studies has been done on allergen sensitization per se. We performed to investigate the effect of initial sensitization route on asthmatic reactions in response to subsequent repeated allergen challenges. Subjects and
METHODS
Thirteen guinea pigs were sensitized with ovalbumin by intraperitoneal injection(group A) and 14 by exposure to aerosolized ovalbumin(group B) on two occasions separated by 1 week. Animals were challenged by inhalation of stepwise increasing concentration of 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2% ovalbumin every 2 weeks 5 times. We used Penh (enhanced pause) as an index of airway constriction. Allergen inhalation discontinued when an increase of Penh more than 200%, and provocative concentration of ovalbumin causing a 200% increase in Penh was defined as PC200 Bronchoalveolar lavage and histopathological examination of lung tissue was done 24 after last challenge.
RESULTS
On first challenge, 11 (85%) of group A had asthmatic reactions, but only 5 (36%) of group B did. Geographic mean of PC200 was significantly lower in group A than that of group B(0.26% vs. 1.26 %, p<0.01). On repeated allergen challenge, PC200 of group A was relatively unchanged, but that of group B was much variable. Sensitized guinea pig had increased eosinophil infiltration in BAL and there are no differences between group A and B in lang pathology.
CONCLUSION
Ovalbumin sensitization by intraperitoneal injection of guinea pig is better than inhalation method in first allergen challenge and unvaried asthmatic reactions on repeated challenges.

MeSH Terms

Animals
Asthma*
Bronchoalveolar Lavage
Constriction
Eosinophils
Guinea Pigs*
Guinea*
Inhalation*
Injections, Intraperitoneal*
Lung
Ovalbumin*
Pathology
Ovalbumin