Early postnatal exposure to allergen and ozone leads to hyperinnervation of the pulmonary epithelium

Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2007 Jan 15;155(1):55-63. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2006.03.002. Epub 2006 Apr 17.

Abstract

Airway injury in infant monkeys exposed to ozone and/or house dust mite allergen (HDMA) is associated with a loss of epithelial innervation. In this study, we evaluated for persistence/recovery of the altered epithelial innervation. Thirty-day-old rhesus monkeys were exposed to repeated episodes of HDMA and/or ozone from 1 to 6 months of age and subsequently allowed to recover for 6 months in the absence of further ozone exposure and/or minimal HDMA challenge (sufficient to maintain allergen sensitization). At 1 year of age, nerve density in intrapulmonary airways was immunohistochemically evaluated using antibodies directed against protein gene product 9.5. Hyperinnervation and irregular epithelial nerve distribution was observed in both HDMA- and ozone-exposed groups; most prominent alterations were observed in animals exposed to HDMA plus ozone. Therefore, while adaptive mechanisms exist that re-establish epithelial innervation following cessation or diminution of exposure to HDMA and/or ozone, the recovery is associated with persistent proliferative mechanisms that result in hyperinnervation of the airways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Allergens / toxicity*
  • Animals
  • Epithelium / drug effects
  • Epithelium / innervation
  • Hypersensitivity / physiopathology*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Lung / drug effects*
  • Lung / innervation*
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Oxidants, Photochemical / toxicity*
  • Ozone / toxicity*
  • Pyroglyphidae / immunology

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Oxidants, Photochemical
  • Ozone