Immune Regulation of Goblet Cell Development

In rats, goblet cells were found in the bronchiole epithelium surrounding enlarged lymphoid noduli. The goblet cell number increased with age. Old rats had goblet cells in the columnar epithelium. Immunization with aerosolized antigen increased goblet cell hyperplasia in bronchioli with a luminal diameter of 0.5–1.0 mm. In mice, goblet cell differentiation in the respiratory epithelium was caused by local delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. Manipulations of the delayed hypersensitivity reactions with immune suppression and depletion of helper T cells eliminated the increase in goblet cell number.</jats:p

Contact Sensitivity in Guinea Pigs to Different Penicillins

The ability of penicillins of varying lipophilicity to induce and elicit cellular allergic responses were analysed in guinea pigs. Epicutaneous application of the penicillins benzylpenicillin (Bp), cloxacillin (Clox) and Bacampicillin® (Bamp) did not cause any unspecific skin irritation. Intracutaneously injected, however, Bamp, Clox and to a lesser extent Bp caused irritation at concentrations of 1.25%. Solutions of 0.12% of the penicillins were inactive in this respect. Cellular allergic responses were induced with Bp, Bamp and Clox after repeated epicutaneous application. The magnitude of responses was related to the lipophilic properties of the penicillins, Bamp being superior. In the guinea pig maximization (GPM) test of Magnusson and Kligman employing intradermal injections of the penicillins with Freund’s complete adjuvant, similar sensitizing abilities of the three penicillins were observed. The cellular allergic responses were elicited with Bp, Bamp, Clox and in addition ampicillin and the 1′-ethoxycarbonyloxyethyl ester of Bp. An extensive cross-reactivity between the penicillins was seen in Bp- and Bamp-sensitized animals, whereas the Clox-sensitized animals showed a specificity limited to Clox. Bamp was shown to possess a superior activity to elicit reactions, possibly due to its lipophilic properties together with an irritating effect exerted by the NH&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; group.</jats:p

Cyclophosphamide-Mediated Enhancement of Delayed Hypersensitivity Reactions in the Lung

The appearance of mononuclear cells, mast cells and mucous cells in the airways was studied in Balb/c mice in relation to cell-mediated immunity reflected as delayed hypersensitivity (DH). The animals were pretreated with cyclophosphamide (Cy) to increase cell-mediated immunity and to decrease the influence of antibodies. Mice pretreated with Cy and epicutaneously sensitized with picrylchloride (PiCl) had stronger DH reactions as compared with sensitized mice not pretreated with Cy. The Cy treatment decreased the IgG antibody formation after sensitization. The Cy-pretreated, sensitized and challenged mice had increased numbers of mucus-producing cells and to some extent also mononuclear cells in their lungs compared with sensitized and challenged non-Cy-treated animals. However, the mucous cell numbers were also increased in Cy-treated, but nonsensitized mice in which most of the airway epithelium had differentiated into mucus-containing cells. The present results indicate that local cell-mediated immunity involves the appearance of mononuclear cells and mucus-producing cells in the lung. This inflammatory reaction is enhanced by Cy treatment, although mucous cell differentiation seems to be induced by exposure to Cy alone.</jats:p

Immunological Suppression of Delayed Hypersensitivity Responses in Mouse Lungs as Reflected by Numbers of Mononuclear Cells, Mast Cells and Mucus-Producing Cells

The suppression of delayed hypersensitivity (DH) in the lung as reflected by the appearance of mononuclear cells, mast cells and mucus-producing cells was studied in Balb/c mice. Immunosuppression was induced by intravenous and peroral administration of picrylsulfonic acid (PSA) in mice subsequently sensitized with picrylchloride (PiCl). The animals exhibited a decreased DH reactivity as assessed by ear thickness increase compared with mice sensitized but not exposed to PSA pretreatment. In mice exposed to PSA intravenously (suppressed) and sensitized with PiCl there was a decrease in the number of mononuclear cells in the lung after challenge, compared to mice sensitized and challenged only. Similarly, the mast cell and mucus-producing cell numbers were slightly lower in animals immunosuppressed intravenously with PSA compared with sensitized mice. Such a decrease in the numbers of mononuclear cells, mast cells and mucus-producing cells in the lung was not seen in animals treated with PSA perorally, although these animals exhibited suppressed DH reaction in the ears. The present results indicate that induction of mononuclear cells and to some extent mast cells and mucus-producing cells in the lung relates to the DH reaction and its regulation.</jats:p

Mononuclear cells, mast cells and mucous cells as part of the delayed hypersensitivity response to aerosolized antigen in mice.

Mice (BALB/c) exposed to picryl chloride (PiCl) on their shaved abdomen and untreated animals were after 7 days exposed to daily aerosolized trinitrophenylated dog serum albumin (TNP-DSA). Mice exposed to PiCl tended to respond earlier and more strongly with both delayed hypersensitivity (DH) and IgG antibodies in serum and bronchial washings than did mice exposed to aerosol only. Picryl chloride sensitization resulted in spontaneously proliferating axillary lymph node cells, which could not be further stimulated with antigen or mitogen. Histological examination of lung tissue of aerosol-sensitized animals revealed an increase in mononuclear cells and mast cells around bronchioli and mucous cells, particularly in those animals exposed for prolonged periods and sensitized with PiCl prior to aerosol. Sensitization of mice with aerosolized TNP-DSA administrated in two 2- and 1-week periods with a 4-week interval responded with DH and IgG antibody in a dose dependent fashion irrespective of presensitization with PiCl. In bronchial washings IgG antibodies were found particularly after two 2-week periods of exposure. The cells taken from the axillary or brachial lymph nodes showed spontaneous proliferation. Culture of the cells to achieve mast cell maturation resulted in no or very low numbers of mast cells in the lymph nodes

Sensitizing Ability of Derivatives of Picryl Chloride after Exposure of Mice on the Skin and in the Lung

In the present study the immunizing efficacy of antigen or hapten administered by the respiratory route and the resulting inflammatory reactions in the lungs after challenge were studied. We compared the induction of delayed hypersensitivity (DH) and the IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE antibody formation after immunization with three different trinitrobenzene derivatives by the epicutaneous, the intradermal, and the intraperitoneal routes with the intranasal route. Mice sensitized with picryl chloride (PiCl) epicutaneously or intradermally, or with picryl sulfonic acid (PSA) epicutaneously showed strong DH responses. Moderate DH responses were obtained after sensitization with PSA intradermally and with trinitrophenylated human serum albumin (TNP-HSA) intraperitoneally. Intranasal administration of PSA and TNP-HSA also resulted in moderate DH responses. Strong IgG responses were seen in mice sensitized with PiCl and PSA epicutaneously, intradermally, and also intranasally. Administration of TNP-HSA epicutaneously, intradermally, and intraperitoneally also gave high IgG responses, while intranasal administration only induced moderate ones. Considerable IgM responses were seen only in mice sensitized epicutaneously with PSA. Antibody responses of the IgA isotype were only seen after epicutaneous sensitization with PiCl or PSA and intradermally with PiCl. Histological examination of lung tissue from mice sensitized with PiCl epicutaneously or with PSA intranasally and challenged with PSA intranasally revealed some inflammatory cells around bronchioli, capillaries and in the interstitial tissue. Differentiation of mucous cells in the epithelium covering inflammatory cells was also seen, and a slight increase in mast cell numbers around vessels. However, after sensitization with PiCl epicutaneously, TNP-HSA intranasally, and challenge with 2% TNP-HSA intranasally, a weaker inflammation was seen. In conclusion, intranasal administration of PSA or epicutaneous administration of PSA and PiCl gave strong DH and IgG responses. These sensitization regimes also resulted in pronounced inflammatory reactions in the lungs.</jats:p

Seasonal variation in serum eosinophilic cationic protein (S-ECP) in a general population sample

AbstractThe aim of this investigation was to study the seasonal variation in the serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein (S-ECP).The study population comprised a general population sample of 379 individuals (range: 20–45 years) who were investigated with blood sample for the measurement of S-ECP, skin prick test and methacholine challenge. The examination took place between May and October 1991.Of the 379 subjects investigated, 137 (36%) were atopic. A significant seasonal variation in S-ECP was found in the group of birch-pollen-positive subjects (P<0·05), but not in the non-atopic or birch-negative atopic group. The mean level of S-ECP in birch-positive subjects was about twice as high in June as in birch atopic subjects examined during other months.It is concluded that seasonal variation in birch-pollen-positive subjects must be taken into account when using S-ECP clinically or in epidemiological research