Eotaxin-1 expression in the lungs of allergic mice correlates with eosinophil accumulation and airways obstruction

Allergic asthma is characterized by reversible airways obstruction, hyperreactivity and the presence of inflammatory cells such as eosinophils in the lung. CBA/Ca mice develop lower levels of airway eosinophilia and obstruction when compared to BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice following immunization and aerosol challenge with chicken ovalbumin. We have investigated factors that control the accumulation of eosinophils at the site of inflammation. Previous data suggest that this may be influenced in part by differences in rates of eosinophil apoptosis in the inflamed lung. Ex vivo eosinophils from the lung lumen of allergic CBA/ Ca mice undergo apoptosis at a faster rate than those from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. We have now investigated the presence of factors that may control inflammatory cell recruitment and persistence during the resolution phase of the inflammatory response. Seventy two hours after exposure to allergen no elevation in the concentration of the cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 or IFNgamma in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was observed