Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI
Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI

House Dust Mite (HDM) induced acute allergic asthma in BALBc mice

Species

Mouse

Fields of application

Acute allergic asthma is induced by repeated intranasal administration of a whole dust mite extract. Besides impairment of lung function and distinct airway remodelling a number of immunological changes can be monitored for up to thirty days.

The model can be used for the following fields of application:

  • Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
  • (Patho)physiological processes
  • Therapeutic efficacy
  • Proof of concept

Endpoints / outcome parameter

  • Dynamic compliance, Lung resistance, Enhanced pause (lung function measurement; in vivo)
  • Immune cells in full blood (in vivo)
  • IgE titre and cytokine levels in blood plasma (in vivo)
  • Airway remodelling (upper airways and lung, including goblet cell hyperplasia, infiltration of eosinophils, fibrosis, airway narrowing; ex vivo)
  • BALF (bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) immune cell composition, cytokine levels, IgE titre (ex vivo)

Readout parameter

  • Invasive / non-invasive lung function measurements
  • Flow cytometry
  • ELISA / CBA (cytometric bead array)
  • RT-PCR
  • Western Blot
  • Histology / Cytology (various classical histological stains)
  • Immunohistochemistry

Quality management and validation

  • Controls
  • Blinded induction
  • Blinded data collection and analysis
  • Randomisation
  • Allocation concealment
  • Biometric Expertise
  • Internal quality management

References

Cooperation project with Nuvo Research GmbH (Leipzig): "Die Entwicklung des Wirkstoffes WF10 zu einer innovativen Arzneimittel-Plattform zur Therapie chronisch inflammatorischer Erkrankungen"

Flemmig J, Schwarz P, Bäcker I, Leichsenring A, Lange F, Arnhold J. Rapid and reliable determination of the halogenating peroxidase activity in blood samples. J Immunol Methods. 2014; 415:46-56

Airway remodelling in acute HDM induced allergic asthma in mice. A: Healthy lung tissue (HE stain). B: Fibrotic lung tissue of an allergic mouse. Besides fibrosis infiltration of eosinophils is clearly visible (arrows). C: Healthy lung tissue (PAS stain). D: Goblet cell hyperplasia and airway narrowing (arrows) in the lung of a mouse with acute HDM induced allergic asthma.
© Fraunhofer IZI
Airway remodelling in acute HDM induced allergic asthma in mice. A: Healthy lung tissue (HE stain). B: Fibrotic lung tissue of an allergic mouse. Besides fibrosis infiltration of eosinophils is clearly visible (arrows). C: Healthy lung tissue (PAS stain). D: Goblet cell hyperplasia and airway narrowing (arrows) in the lung of a mouse with acute HDM induced allergic asthma.