Protective effects of allantoin against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammation in a murine model of asthma

• Published in: International immunopharmacology 2010-04, Vol.10 (4), p.474-480
• Main Authors: Lee, Mee-Young, Lee, Nam-Hun, Jung, Dayoung, Lee, Jin-Ah, Seo, Chang-Seob, Lee, Hoyoung, Kim, Jung-Hoon, Shin, Hyeun-Kyoo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alanine Transaminase - blood; Allantoin; Allantoin - pharmacology; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; Asthma; Asthma - chemically induced; Asthma - pathology; Asthma - prevention & control; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - cytology; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - immunology; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Cytokines - metabolism; Eosinophils - drug effects; Eosinophils - metabolism; Female; Goblet Cells - drug effects; Goblet Cells - ultrastructure; Hypersensitivity - pathology; IgE; IL-4; IL-5; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Immunoglobulin E - analysis; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Interleukin-4 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-5 - biosynthesis; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mucus - secretion; Ovalbumin; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pneumology; Pneumonia - chemically induced; Pneumonia - pathology; Pneumonia - prevention & control; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Th2 Cells - metabolism
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2010.01.008

Asthma is characterized by difficulty in breathing because of the constriction of the smooth muscles of the bronchi, as a result of inflammation. In the present study, we focus on the protective effects of allantoin against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammation in a murine allergic model, and assess cytokine release, eosinophilia, and mucus hypersecretion. Allantoin treatment led to significant reduction in the levels of Ig(immunoglobulin)E and T-helper-2-type cytokines, such as IL(interleukin)-4 and IL-5, in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Airway inflammatory-cell infiltration was remarkably alleviated in allantoin-treated asthma groups, compared with the control group. Moreover, allantoin-treated asthma groups exhibited a marked decrease in cytokine mRNA expression in lung tissues, compared with the control group. The effectiveness of allantoin was similar to that of montelukast, used as a positive control. These results support the utility of allantoin as a protective agent against asthma.