IgE-bearing cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and allergen-specific IgE levels in sera from RAO-affected horses.
Abstract: Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a common condition in stabled horses characterized by small airway inflammation, airway neutrophilia and obstruction following exposure of susceptible horses to mouldy hay and straw and is thus regarded as a hypersensitivity reaction to mould spores. However, the role of immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE) in the pathogenesis of RAO is unclear. We hypothesized that the number of cells with receptor-bound IgE in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and IgE levels in serum would be higher in RAO-affected than in healthy horses living in the same environment. Therefore, IgE-positive (+) cells were identified by immunocytochemistry on cytospins from BALF and counted. IgE levels against the mould extracts Aspergillus fumigatus (Asp. f.) and Alternaria alternata (Alt. a.) and the recombinant mould allergen Aspergillus fumigatus 8 (rAsp f 8) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the sera of seven RAO-affected and 22 clinically healthy mature horses housed in the same conventional stable environment. After correcting for the number of neutrophils, there were no significant differences in IgE+ cells on cytospins from BALF between both groups of horses (5% versus 7%, P > 0.1). Serum IgE levels against the mould extracts were significantly higher in RAO-affected than in clinically healthy horses [median = 119 versus 66 relative ELISA units (REU), P < 0.05]. Furthermore, significantly more RAO-affected than healthy horses had detectable serum IgE against the recombinant allergen rAsp f 8 (4/7 and 3/22, respectively, P < 0.05). Age had no significant effect on BALF cell ratios or on specific serum IgE levels. These results show that high IgE levels against mould antigens are associated with RAO under controlled environmental conditions but ranges of mould-specific serum IgE levels overlapped too much between diseased and clinically healthy animals to be of any diagnostic value. Further studies are needed to assess whether IgE-mediated reactions contribute to the pathogenesis of RAO.
Publication Date: 2007-03-16 PubMed ID: 17359454DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0442.2007.00870.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Allergies
- Aspergillus
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage
- Cells
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Immune Response
- Immunoglobulin E
- Inflammation
- Pathogenesis
- Recurrent Airway Obstruction
- Respiratory Disease
- Respiratory Health
- Serum
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The researchers studied whether there was a correlation between high levels of a certain antibody, IgE, against mould antigens and the common horse respiratory condition, Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO). Results showed that while higher IgE levels were found in RAO-affected horses than healthy horses, the similarities between the two were too significant to be a reliable diagnosis. The researchers suggest further studies to determine if IgE-mediated reactions have a role in causing RAO.
Background and Aim of the Study
- The study aimed to explore the role of Immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE) in the pathogenesis of Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), a frequent respiratory disorder in horses.
- RAO is characterized by small airway inflammation, airway neutrophilia, and obstruction after exposure to mouldy hay and straw, as it is considered an allergic reaction to mould spores.
- The investigators hypothesized that the IgE bearing cell numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and IgE levels in serum might be higher in horses suffering from RAO than in healthy horses living in the same environment.
Methodology
- IgE-positive cells were identified by immunocytochemistry on cytospins from BALF and then counted.
- IgE levels against Aspergillus fumigatus (Asp. f.), Alternaria alternata (Alt. a.) mould extracts, and the recombinant mould allergen Aspergillus fumigatus 8 (rAsp f 8) were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Measurements were taken from seven RAO-affected and twenty-two healthy horses living in the same conventional stable environment.
Results and Conclusion
- No significant differences in IgE+ cells on cytospins from BALF were found between RAO-affected and healthy horses.
- However, serum IgE levels against mould extracts were found significantly higher in RAO-affected horses compared to healthy ones.
- Significantly, more RAO-affected horses had detectable serum IgE against the recombinant allergen rAsp f 8. The age of the horses had no significant effect on BALF cell ratios or specific serum IgE levels.
- Although these results show an association of higher IgE levels with RAO, the overlap between diseased and healthy animals casts doubt on the diagnostic value of this criterion.
- Thus, the study concludes that more research is needed to assess and establish whether IgE-mediated reactions contribute significantly to RAO pathogenesis.
Cite This Article
APA
Künzle F, Gerber V, Van Der Haegen A, Wampfler B, Straub R, Marti E.
(2007).
IgE-bearing cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and allergen-specific IgE levels in sera from RAO-affected horses.
J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med, 54(1), 40-47.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0442.2007.00870.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Clinic, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, Länggass-Strasse 124, 3001 Bern, Switzerland.
MeSH Terms
- Allergens / immunology
- Animals
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / immunology
- Female
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Immunoglobulin E / analysis
- Immunoglobulin E / blood
- Lung Diseases, Fungal / immunology
- Lung Diseases, Fungal / veterinary
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / immunology
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / veterinary
- Male
- Mast Cells / immunology
- Mitosporic Fungi / immunology
Citations
This article has been cited 20 times.- Woodrow JS, Hines M, Sommardahl C, Flatland B, Lo Y, Wang Z, Sheats MK, Lennon EM. Initial investigation of molecular phenotypes of airway mast cells and cytokine profiles in equine asthma.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:997139.
- Wyler M, Sage SE, Marti E, White S, Gerber V. Protein microarray allergen profiling in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum of horses with asthma.. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jan;37(1):328-337.
- Klier J, Fuchs S, Winter G, Gehlen H. Inhalative Nanoparticulate CpG Immunotherapy in Severe Equine Asthma: An Innovative Therapeutic Concept and Potential Animal Model for Human Asthma Treatment.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Aug 16;12(16).
- Gressler AE, Lübke S, Wagner B, Arnold C, Lohmann KL, Schnabel CL. Comprehensive Flow Cytometric Characterization of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cells Indicates Comparable Phenotypes Between Asthmatic and Healthy Horses But Functional Lymphocyte Differences.. Front Immunol 2022;13:896255.
- Di Pietro R, Dubuc V, Manguin E, Giroux-Lafond R, Bédard C, Boivin R, Lavoie JP, Vesper SJ, Leclere M. Characterization of fungal exposure and dectin-1 expression in healthy horses and horses with severe asthma.. Am J Vet Res 2022 May 8;83(6).
- Martins LML. Allergy to Fungi in Veterinary Medicine: Alternaria, Dermatophytes and Malassezia Pay the Bill!. J Fungi (Basel) 2022 Feb 27;8(3).
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Alberti E, Conturba B, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Intradermal Testing Results in Horses Affected by Mild-Moderate and Severe Equine Asthma.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 13;11(7).
- White SJ, Moore-Colyer M, Marti E, Hannant D, Gerber V, Coüetil L, Richard EA, Alcocer M. Antigen array for serological diagnosis and novel allergen identification in severe equine asthma.. Sci Rep 2019 Oct 23;9(1):15170.
- Sheats MK, Davis KU, Poole JA. Comparative Review of Asthma in Farmers and Horses.. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2019 Oct 10;19(11):50.
- White S, Moore-Colyer M, Marti E, Coüetil L, Hannant D, Richard EA, Alcocer M. Development of a comprehensive protein microarray for immunoglobulin E profiling in horses with severe asthma.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Sep;33(5):2327-2335.
- Verdon M, Lanz S, Rhyner C, Gerber V, Marti E. Allergen-specific immunoglobulin E in sera of horses affected with insect bite hypersensitivity, severe equine asthma or both conditions.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jan;33(1):266-274.
- Klier J, Geis S, Steuer J, Geh K, Reese S, Fuchs S, Mueller RS, Winter G, Gehlen H. A comparison of nanoparticullate CpG immunotherapy with and without allergens in spontaneously equine asthma-affected horses, an animal model.. Immun Inflamm Dis 2018 Mar;6(1):81-96.
- Mueller RS, Janda J, Jensen-Jarolim E, Rhyner C, Marti E. Allergens in veterinary medicine.. Allergy 2016 Jan;71(1):27-35.
- Klier J, Lehmann B, Fuchs S, Reese S, Hirschmann A, Coester C, Winter G, Gehlen H. Nanoparticulate CpG immunotherapy in RAO-affected horses: phase I and IIa study.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Jan;29(1):286-93.
- Sabban S, Ye H, Helm B. Development of an in vitro model system for studying the interaction of Equus caballus IgE with its high-affinity receptor FcεRI.. J Vis Exp 2014 Nov 1;(93):e52222.
- Sarmiento J, Perez B, Morales N, Henriquez C, Vidal L, Folch H, Galecio JS, Morán G. Apoptotic effects of tamoxifen on leukocytes from horse peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.. Vet Res Commun 2013 Dec;37(4):333-8.
- Moran G, Folch H, Henriquez C, Ortloff A, Barria M. Reaginic antibodies from horses with recurrent airway obstruction produce mast cell stimulation.. Vet Res Commun 2012 Dec;36(4):251-8.
- Moran G, Buechner-Maxwell VA, Folch H, Henriquez C, Galecio JS, Perez B, Carrasco C, Barria M. Increased apoptosis of CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes in the airways of horses with recurrent airway obstruction.. Vet Res Commun 2011 Oct;35(7):447-56.
- Morán G, Folch H, Araya O, Burgos R, Barria M. Detection of reaginic antibodies against Faenia rectivirgula from the serum of horses affected with Recurrent Airway Obstruction by an in vitro bioassay.. Vet Res Commun 2010 Dec;34(8):719-26.
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