Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.  2022 Oct;10(4):195-201. 10.4168/aard.2022.10.4.195.

Development of a house dust mite-induced mouse model for allergen-specific immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis

• Kim SM
• Kim JA
• Kim HS
• Yoon JS
• Kim HH
• Chun YH

• KMID: 2534606
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2022.10.4.195

Abstract

Purpose
Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only known curative treatment for allergic diseases. Recently, novel immunotherapies have been developed to overcome the inconvenience and adverse reactions associated with conventional AIT. Validated animal models are essential for screening novel immunotherapies; however, effective models for AIT in allergic rhinitis (AR) are lacking. Herein, we aimed to develop an optimal protocol for AIT using a house dust mite (HDM)-induced AR mouse model.
Methods
BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with the alum-absorbed HDM extract (5 µg) on days 0, 7, and 14. Sensitized mice were administered three subcutaneous injections of HDM extract (250 µg/100 µL; SCIT group) and phosphate-buffered saline (100 µL; negative and positive control groups) at 2-day intervals. Next, HDM extract (25 µg) was intranasally administered to SCIT and positive control groups for five consecutive days. Nasal symptoms, ear swelling, eosinophil count, antibody levels, and nasal mucosa histopathology were assessed in all groups. Cytokine production was analyzed in the splenocyte culture supernatant.
Results
Compared with the positive control group, the SCIT group exhibited reduced nasal symptoms, ear swelling, and eosinophil count in nasopharyngeal lavage. Compared with the positive control group, the SCIT group had reduced eosinophil, mast cell, and goblet cell counts in the nasal mucosa. Serum levels of HDM-specific IgG1 were higher in the SCIT group than in the positive control group. The stimulation index of splenocytes was reduced in the SCIT group when compared with that in the positive control group. Compared with the positive control group, the SCIT group exhibited decreased levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-17, whereas those of IL-10 and interferon-gamma levels were increased.
Conclusion
AR mice treated with the AIT-HDM protocol showed attenuated nasal symptoms and improved histopathological findings and cytokine profiles compared with the untreated AR mice. Our findings suggest that the examined model may be useful for screening new AITs.

Keyword

Allergen immunotherapy; Allergic rhinitis; Mites; Animal model