Development and Characterization of an Allergic Asthma Rat Model for Interventional Studies

Abstract

Allergic asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases of the airways, however it still remains underdiagnosed and hence undertreated. Therefore, an allergic asthma rat model would be useful to be applied in future therapeutic strategy studies. The aim of the present study was to develop an objective model of allergic asthma in atopic rats that allows the induction and quantification of anaphylactic shock with quantitative variables. Female Brown Norway rats were intraperitoneally sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA), alum and Bordetella pertussis toxin and boosted a week later with OVA in alum. At day 28, all rats received an intranasal challenge with OVA. Anaphylactic response was accurately assessed by changes in motor activity and body temperature. Leukotriene concentration was determined in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and total and IgE anti-OVA antibodies were quantified in blood and BALF samples. The asthmatic animals’ motility and body temperature were reduced after the shock for at least 20 h. The asthmatic animals developed anti-OVA IgE antibodies both in BALF and in serum. These results show an effective and relatively rapid model of allergic asthma in female Brown Norway rats that allows the quantification of the anaphylactic response.

Attenuating Effect of Peruvian Cocoa Populations on the Acute Asthmatic Response in Brown Norway Rats

“…Herein, body temperature and motor activity variables have been used to assess the anaphylactic response after i.n. challenge as previously set up [ 47 ] and also as used earlier in a model of oral allergy [ 19 , 48 ]. In addition, the decrease in body weight was also considered as a variable to assess anaphylaxis.…”

“…At 1 week after the beginning of the experimental diet, asthma was induced using ovalbumin (OVA) as allergen, as previously described [ 47 ]. Briefly, on day 0, rats were firstly sensitized via intraperitoneal (i.p.)…”

“…The movement of animals housed in individual cages and placed in an isolated room were quantified using an activity meter, as previously performed [ 47 , 48 ]. The activity meters consisted of two infrared beams that crossed perpendicularly 7 cm above the floor of the cage.…”

“…IgE concentration in BALF samples was quantified using a sandwich ELISA, as previously described [ 47 ]. Results are shown as mean percentage compared to the asthmatic group, which are considered as 100%.…”

“…The concentration of CysLT in BALF was quantified using an Cysteinyl Leukotriene ELISA kit (Enzo Life Sciences Inc., New York, NY, SUA) following manufacturer’s instructions, with a prior extraction of leukotrienes as previously described [ 47 ]. Results are shown as the percentage from that produced by asthmatic rats, which are considered as 100%.…”