Induction of antigen-specific antibody-secreting cells in the nasal mucosa by intranasal immunization of BALB/c mice

Repeated intranasal instillation with staphylococcal enterotoxin B induces nasal allergic inflammation in guinea pigs

BACKGROUND

Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic disease. However, no animal models have been reported to show nasal allergic inflammation by repeated inhalation with staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in the absence of adjuvant. This study was designed to determine whether intranasal instillation of guinea pigs with SEB results in nasal allergic inflammation.

METHODS

Guinea pigs were intranasally instilled with 40 μL of 4-μg SEB once every 4 days 11 times. For the control group, guinea pigs were prepared with saline instead of SEB. Sneezing and nasal scratching frequency were evaluated after each intranasal instillation. The production of antigen-specific antibodies including IgE, nasal eosinophilia, and cytokines in the nasal cavity lavage fluid (NCLF) were measured after the 11th intranasal immunization.

RESULTS

In the model group, symptoms of sneezing and nasal scratching were induced at the 8th to 11th challenges. Intranasal immunization with SEB elicited a local nasal mucosa inflammatory response characterized by apparent eosinophil infiltration. In the NCLF, the expression of IL-4 but not interferon-gamma was increased after challenges. The serum levels of total and SEB-specific IgE and IgG1 were higher in model groups in comparison with the control groups (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that repeated intranasal instillation with SEB leads to Th2 immune response, allergic nasal inflammation, and increased antigen-specific IgE production that are characteristic of allergic rhinitis (AR). The model in this study could be valuable in analyzing the pathogenesis of AR infected with Staphylococcus aureus.

Differential expression of adhesion molecules and chemokines between nasal and small intestinal mucosae: implications for T- and sIgA+ B-lymphocyte recruitment

Nasal and small intestinal mucosae are the first sites of contact with infectious agents and the sites of T-cell-mediated and secreted immunoglobulin A (IgA)-mediated defences against pathogens. We investigated the factors controlling the infiltration of CD3(+) T lymphocytes and surface IgA(+) (sIgA(+)) B lymphocytes into swine epithelium and lamina propria (LP) within and between these two mucosal effector sites. Vascular addressins, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 were reciprocally expressed in both mucosae. Strong expression of alpha(4)beta(1) relative to alpha(4)beta(7) was characteristic of CD3(+) T cells in nasal mucosa LP and epithelium and of sIgA(+) cells in nasal mucosa epithelium. The same profile was observed on corresponding blood cells. Conversely, higher levels of integrins beta(7) and alpha(4)beta(7) than alpha(4)beta(1) were characteristic of CD3(+) T cells and sIgA(+) cells in the small intestine. However, about 40% of the LP-activated sIgA(+) cells displayed sIgA(high), integrin alpha(4) and integrin alpha(4) expression. Whereas CCL19, CXCL12, CCL21 and CCL28 messenger RNAs were similarly expressed in both mucosae, CCL25 messenger RNA was only expressed in the small intestine. Thus, the nasal and small intestine mucosae represent separate compartments for infiltration by CD3(+) T cells and sIgA(+) effector cells, with the exception of a population of small intestine activated sIgA(+) cells, which may gain access to both mucosae.

Intranasal immunization with outer membrane protein P6 and cholera toxin induces specific sinus mucosal immunity and enhances sinus clearance of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is one of the leading pathogens in sinusitis. One of the outer membrane proteins of NTHi, P6, is a common antigen to all strains and is an attractive candidate for a subunit bacterial vaccine. In this study, we characterized normal sinus mucosa (SM) and investigated the potential of intranasal immunization with P6 and cholera toxin (CT) for induction of mucosal protective immunity against NTHi in the maxillary sinuses of rats. Intranasal immunization induced P6-specific sinus mucosal and systemic immunological responses, mainly of the IgA and IgG isotype. The protective effect of intranasal immunization was demonstrated by enhancement of sinus clearance of NTHi. The present study showed that unilateral intranasal immunization has a capacity to induce protective immunity against NTHi in the bilateral maxillary sinuses. Systemic administration of the vaccine did not affect sinus clearance of NTHi. These findings suggest that a nasal vaccine might be useful for preventing sinusitis.

Strain-dependent induction of allergic rhinitis without adjuvant in mice

BACKGROUND

To date, no murine models have been reported to show the induction of both antigen-specific IgE and nasal eosinophilia, two of the major hallmarks of allergic rhinitis, after local sensitization in the absence of adjuvants, a phenomenon which reflects natural exposure. In this report, we attempted to establish a murine model representing an initiation of allergic rhinitis.

METHODS

BALB/c, CBA/J, and C57BL/6 mice were sensitized intranasally to Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen (SEA) solely. After repeated sensitization, serum Ab titers, nasal eosinophilia, and cytokine production by nasal lymphocytes were determined.

RESULTS

BALB/c mice produced SEA-specific IgE after repeated sensitization. High-dose sensitization to SEA induced IgE production in CBA/J mice, while C57BL/6 mice did not show the production throughout the period observed, suggesting that IgE production was regulated genetically. BALB/c mice also exhibited nasal eosinophilia after the nasal challenge. In addition, nasal lymphocytes sensitized with SEA intranasally produced significant amount of IL-5 in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that intranasal sensitization with SEA in the absence of adjuvants induces a Th2 immune reaction, reflecting the hallmarks of the initiation of allergic rhinitis both in vivo and in vitro, which is genetically regulated.