Early Life Ovalbumin Sensitization and Aerosol Challenge for the Induction of Allergic Airway Inflammation in a BALB/c Murine Model
Kyle Mincham,
Naomi Scott,
Jean-Francois Lauzon-Joset,
Jonatan Leffler,
Philip Stumbles,
Patrick Holt,
Deborah Strickland
Affiliations
Kyle Mincham
Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Naomi Scott
Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Jean-Francois Lauzon-Joset
Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Jonatan Leffler
Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Philip Stumbles
Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, AustraliaSchool of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
Patrick Holt
Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
Deborah Strickland
Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
The early life period represents a time of immunological plasticity whereby the functionally immature immune system is highly susceptible to environmental stimulation. Perennial aeroallergen and respiratory viral infection induced sporadic episodes of lung inflammation during this temporal window represent major risk factors for initiation of allergic asthmatic disease. Murine models are widely used as an investigative tool to examine the pathophysiology of allergic asthma; however, models in current usage typically do not encapsulate the early life period which represents the time of maximal risk for disease inception in humans. To address this issue, this protocol adapted an experimental animal model of disease for sensitization to ovalbumin during the immediate post-weaning period beginning at 21 days of age. By initially sensitizing mice during this early life post-weaning period, researchers can more closely align experimental allergic airway disease models with the human age group most at risk for asthma development.
