α-GalCer administration enhances the Th2 inflammatory response in OVA-induced asthma model.

<p><b>A</b>. Timeline of the OVA immunization/challenge protocol and the names of the treatment groups (α-GalCer or PBS). <b>B</b>. Histopathological analysis using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining of the lung tissue sections from OVA-induced asthmatic mice treated with α-GalCer or PBS. <b>C</b>. Total cell and differential cell counts in the BALF from OVA-induced asthmatic mice treated with α-GalCer or PBS were obtained by a standard hemocytometer. N = 4 per group and *<i>P <</i> 0.05, **<i>P <</i> 0.01. Tot, total cell counts; Mar, macrophages; Eos, eosinophils; Neu, neutrophils; and Lym, lymphocytes. <b>D</b>. Lung goblet cell hyperplasia is expressed as the number of PAS-positive cells per unit of length (mm) of the basement membrane. N = 4 per group and **<i>P <</i> 0.01. <b>E</b>. OVA-specific Ig levels from OVA-induced asthmatic mice treated with α-GalCer or PBS were analyzed by ELISA. N = 4–5 per group and *<i>P <</i> 0.05, **<i>P <</i> 0.01. <b>F</b>. BALF were collected and cytokine (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) production from OVA-induced asthmatic mice treated with α-GalCer or PBS was analyzed by ELISA. N = 4 per group and *<i>P <</i> 0.05, **<i>P <</i> 0.01. <b>G</b>. Splenocytes were obtained and re-stimulated with 500 μg OVA <i>in vitro</i> from OVA-induced asthmatic mice treated with α-GalCer or PBS. After 72 h, culture supernatants were collected and cytokine production was analyzed by ELISA. N = 4 per group and *<i>P</i> < 0.05.