Development of chronic pulmonary inflammation in immunized guinea pigs by aerosol challenge with antigen: relationship of immune complex disease and cell-mediated hypersensitivity

Abstract

Immunized guinea pigs develop immune complex disease (ICD) in the lungs after a single aerosol challenge with specific antigen. In the current study, immunized guinea pigs developed chronic pulmonary inflammation and cellular immunity (CI) in the lungs when aerosol challenged daily with specific antigen for 2 wk. When immune serum was passively transferred to normal recipients that were then aerosol challenged with specific antigen for 2 wk, chronic pulmonary inflammation and CI did not develop. These results suggest that ICD produced by passive transfer of serum and subsequent aerosol exposure to antigen was inadequate to cause chronic pulmonary inflammation and Cl. The development of chronic pulmonary inflammation by aerosol challenge with antigen was suppressed with cobra venom factor. However, because of other studies, we attribute this suppression to the diminution of complement (C) factors in the alternative C pathway that affect macrophage mobility rather than to the depletion of C5a, which is important in the development of ICD.