ALLERGIC LUNG INFLAMMATION IN OFFSPRING OF PREGNANT MICE EXPOSED TO ORGANIC DUST

Abstract

Abstract The hygiene hypothesis shows that there is a strong correlation between microbial exposures in early life and the absence of allergies and asthma. However, studies also show that these same microbial exposures in early life can cause psychiatric and behavioral problems. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), originating from microbes, is ubiquitous in animal holding facilities such as pig barns. The influence of CD34, an adhesion protein important in development of lung inflammation, in the association between microbial exposures and asthma, are not known, nor is the association between CD34 and behavior. We studied pulmonary immune responses and behavior of male and female offspring of wild-type and CD34−/− pregnant mice exposed to pig barn air for 4 hours/day for 5 days/week for 21 period of pregnancy. The ovalbumin protocol was used to induce asthmatic responses in the offspring. All OVA-treated CD34−/− and WT mice had more AhR, leukocytes and IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-13 compared to their respective controls (P<0.05) showing development of asthmatic response. All CD34−/− asthmatic as a group had lower AhR, total leukocytes and levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-13 compared to WT asthmatic mice. However, CD34−/− and WT asthmatic females compared to CD34−/− and WT males asthmatic mice had higher AhR, total leukocytes and cytokine levels. Also, in the general activity in open field the asthmatic females had lower locomotion (P < 0.05) compared to the male asthmatic mice These data show that female offspring of those exposed to LPS-contaminated environment had higher degree of asthmatic lung responses and behavioral changes compared to the males affect females more frequently than males