Figure 1.

Antigen feeding suppresses an asthma-type inflammatory response in T/B monoclonal mice. (A) Tolerization protocol and experimental groups. Groups of 5 T/B monoclonal mice were administered a 1% OVA solution in drinking water for 5 consecutive days (days –7 to –2). Two days later, the mice were immunized i.p. with 100 μg of OVA-HA in alum (day 0). Fourteen and 21 days after immunization, the mice were challenged with 10 μg of OVA-HA i.n. Twenty-four hours later (day 22), the sera, BAL cells and fluid, lymphoid organs, and lungs were harvested for analysis. The results shown in Figures 1 and 2 are representative of 5 experiments. None, untreated mice. (B) BAL cells were collected on day 22, and differential counts were performed in cytospin preparations. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM. *Significant differences were found (P < 0.05) between values of Tol and Imm groups. (C) Representative lung sections were stained with H&E (large pictures) or PAS/hematoxylin (insets) to analyze lung parenchyma inflammation and production of mucus by Goblet cells. Note the intense cellular infiltrate and mucus production in the Imm sample (left panels) and the suppression of inflammation in the Tol sample (right panels).