Application of heat killed Mycobacterium bovis-BCG into the lung inhibits the development of allergen-induced Th2 responses

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• 作者：Major Jr ; Tamá ; s ; Wohlleben ; Gisela ; Reibetanz ; Birgit ; Erb ; Klaus Joseph
• 关键词：Asthma ; Heat killed BCG ; Eosinophilia
• 刊名：Vaccine
• 出版年：2002
• 出版时间：February 22, 2002
• 年：2002
• 卷：20
• 期：11-12
• 页码：1532-1540
• 全文大小：171 K

文摘

We have previously reported that an infection of the lung with BCG-inhibited ovalbumin (OVA)-induced airway eosinophilia. In the current study, we investigated if the intranasal application of heat killed (HK)-BCG or purified protein derivative (PPD) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis had the same effect. For this purpose we treated mice intranasally with either live BCG, HK-BCG or PPD and analyzed if the mice developed airway eosinophilia after immunization and intranasal challenge with OVA. Our results clearly showed that an intranasal vaccination with live and HK-BCG but not PPD, given 4 or 8 weeks prior to allergen airway challenge, resulted in a strong suppression of airway eosinophilia. The inhibition of airway eosinophilia correlated with reduced levels of IL-5 production by T cells from the lymph node of the lungs and a strong reduction in Th2 cell numbers present in the airways of OVA-challenged mice. Furthermore, HK-BCG-induced suppression of airway eosinophilia was strongly reduced in IFN-γ deficient mice. HK-BCG in contrast to live BCG may also be a promising candidate for a prospective asthma vaccine in humans since negative side effects due to mycobacterial infection can be ruled out.