Innate immune responses during respiratory tract infection with a bacterial pathogen induce allergic airway sensitization.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The original hygiene hypothesis predicts that infections should protect against asthma but does not account for increasing evidence that certain infections might also promote asthma development. A mechanistic reconciliation of these findings has not yet emerged. In particular, the role of innate immunity in this context is unclear.

Objective

We sought to test whether bacterial respiratory tract infection causes airway sensitization toward an antigen encountered in parallel and to elucidate the contribution of innate immune responses.

Methods

Mice were infected with different doses of Chlamydia pneumoniae, followed by exposure to human serum albumin (HSA) and challenge with HSA 2 weeks later. Airway inflammation, immunoglobulins, and lymph node cytokines wer

SUBMITTER: Schroder NW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3052793 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature