Mouse models for allergic asthma have been developed that depend on exposure to environmental factors, such as ovalbumin (OVA), house dust mite (HDM), cockroach, birch pollen, and Alternaria alternata, among which the most extensively used one is the OVA-induced model. Creative Biolabs offers various rodent asthma models to satisfy the specific research requirements of our customers, including OVA and HDM.
Introduction of Allergic Asthma
Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. The typical pathophysiological features of asthma include chronic eosinophilic inflammation of the airways, mucus overproduction, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and eventual progression to airway remodeling. As the most common type of asthma, allergic asthma is characterized by irreversible obstruction and chronic inflammation of the airways.
The Pathogenesis of Allergic Asthma
Allergic asthma is traditionally considered as a T-helper type 2 (Th2) cell-driven inflammatory disorder. The use of animal models of asthma has dramatically increased our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of allergic asthma. The importance of Th2 cytokines has been highlighted by numerous studies in mice. Specifically, Th2 lymphocytes produce various pro-inflammatory cytokines that have important roles in the development of allergic asthma, including a unique profile of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13. What's more, they can also induce secretion of allergen‑specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E, chemokines, and eosinophils, as well as mucus production.
Fig.1 Airway tissue inflammation is decreased by KLH-P vaccine analyzed by H&E stain. (I) Saline; (II) KLH; (III) 10 μg KLH-P; (IV) 50 μg KLH-P. (Jing et al. 2012)
Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma Model
OVA is the main protein found in egg white, which is not intrinsically immunogenic and therefore needs to be injected systemically in the presence of adjuvants, typically aluminum hydroxide (alum), to induce Th2 sensitization in mice. Generally, mice are intraperitoneally injected with ovalbumin (OVA) complexed with aluminum (alum) in the sensitization phase. Subsequently, sensitized mice are challenged with OVA, resulting in many of the features seen in asthmatic individuals, including eosinophilic inflammation, production of Th2 cytokines, increases in serum IgE, and airway hyperreactivity. Ovalbumin challenge models have proved useful for pre-clinical evaluation of potential therapeutic agents for asthma, allowing investigators to address specific questions that are difficult to answer in patients.
At Creative Biolabs, a broad range of assessments are available for preclinical testing of novel therapeutics:
Additionally, other examples of rodent respiratory disease models that you may be interested include:
Creative Biolabs is a research partner leader who offers a wide range of rodent disease models and the most comprehensive relevant services with professional expertise. Not only do we have a large battery of well-characterized models, but we provide customized model services for every specific project. More importantly, we have talented experts and scientists who are willing to help to choose the most appropriate model and to set up a detailed research plan based on your specific needs.
For more information, please contact us or send us an inquiry.
Reference
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