| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥1,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000)
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| Research Abstract |
In this study, we have examined whether the analysis of immune function in lung sensitized with occupational respiratory allergens could provide the proper evaluation for them. Firstly, mice were painted on the shaved back skin with toluene diisocyanate (TDI), known as a potent respiratory sensitivity. Two weeks after the last exposure, mice were challenged with intranasal inoculation of TDI.After 0,1,6 and 12 hours, the gene expression of cytokine was analyzed in the lung of mice using RT-PCR.It was observed that IL-2, IL-5 and IFN-gamma mRNAs were detected in non-sensitized and sensitized lung of mice, but IL-4 mRNA was detected only in sensitized and challenged lung of mice. These finding were also observed in mice sensitized and challenged with inhaled TDI.Moreover, we have examined whether the pattern of the gene expression of four cytokine mRNAs could distinguish respiratory allergens from contact allergens. Mice were painted with picryl chloride (PCI), known as a potent contact sensitivity. Two weeks after the last exposure, mice were challenged with intranasal inoculation of PCI.It was observed that the gene expression of IL-4 and IFN-gamma mRNAs were extremely weak in the lungs of mice sensitized with PCI compared with those of TDI 6 hours after challenging.
Therefore, the analysis of cytokine profiles using RT-PCR was suggested to be available for the evaluation of sensitizers causing respiratory allergy.
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