BCG infection in allergen-presensitized rats suppresses Th2 immune response and prevents the development of allergic asthmatic reaction

Recent investigations demonstrate that bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), a potent inducer of Th1 response, infection prior to allergen sensitization inhibits Th2 immune responses to the allergen. However, it is not clear whether BCG infection in allergen-presensitized rats switches off Th2 response and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical immunology 2001, Vol.21 (1), p.51-59
Main Authors: KOH, Youngil I, CHOI, Inseon S, KIM, Won-Young
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allergens - immunology
Animals
Asthma - prevention & control
BCG Vaccine - immunology
Biological and medical sciences
Eosinophilia - etiology
Immunopathology
Immunotherapy (general aspects)
Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis
Interleukin-4 - biosynthesis
Male
Medical sciences
Mycobacterium bovis
ovalbumin
Ovalbumin - immunology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Th2 Cells - immunology
Vaccination
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Summary:Recent investigations demonstrate that bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), a potent inducer of Th1 response, infection prior to allergen sensitization inhibits Th2 immune responses to the allergen. However, it is not clear whether BCG infection in allergen-presensitized rats switches off Th2 response and prevents allergic asthmatic reaction to the subsequent allergen exposure. In this study we investigate whether BCG infection in ovalbumin (OVA)-presensitized Sprague-Dawley rats suppresses airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation induced by OVA and Th2 cytokine production. BCG infection in OVA-presensitized rats significantly inhibited not only the sensitivity of airway smooth muscle to electrical field stimulation and acetylcholine but also absolute eosinophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. As a correlate, interleukin-4 (IL-4) production significantly decreased and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) slightly increased, resulting in a markedly decreased ratio of IL-4-IFN-gamma in OVA-presensitized rats with BCG infection. These results indicate that BCG infection in pre-sensitized rats suppresses allergic asthmatic reaction and Th2 immune response. It is possible from these findings that BCG vaccine may be used as an immunomodulating agent for the sensitized host with preestablished Th2 memory.
ISSN:0271-9142
1573-2592
DOI:10.1023/a:1006745116360