Effects of increasing sensitizing doses of ovalbumin on airway hyperresponsiveness in asthmatic mice

Abstract Background The dosage of ovalbumin (OVA) during the sensitization stage is considered a crucial factor in the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). However, the inconsistent dosages of sensitizing OVA used in current studies and the lack of research on their impact on AHR are notable limitations. Methods We examined the impact of increasing sensitizing doses of OVA in a murine asthma model, which entailed initial sensitization with OVA followed by repeated exposure to OVA aerosols. BALB/c mice were primed with doses of OVA (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 μg) plus 1 mg Alum on Days 0 and 7, and were challenged with OVA aerosols (10 mg/mL for 30 min) between Days 14 and 17. Antigen‐induced AHR to methacholine (MCh), as well as histological changes, eosinophilic infiltration, and epithelial injury were assessed. Results The result indicated that there are striking OVA dose‐related differences in antigen‐induced AHR to MCh. The most intense antigen‐induced AHR to MCh was observed with sensitization at 50 μg, while weaker responses were seen at 10, 20, and 100 μg. Meanwhile, there was a significant increase in eosinophil count with sensitization at 50 μg. The changes of AHR were correlated with total cells count, lymphocytes count, eosinophils count, and basophils count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; however, it did not correlate with histological changes such as cellular infiltration into bronchovascular bundles and goblet cell hyperplasia of the bronchial epithelium. Conclusion Overall, this study demonstrated that sensitization with 50 μg of OVA resulted in the most significant AHR compared to other dosages. These findings may offer valuable insights for future research on mouse asthma modeling protocols.