Fig. 1.

Experimentally induced asthma is alleviated by treatment with H. pylori extract. (A–I) Mice were sensitized i.p. with alum-adjuvanted ovalbumin at 8 and 10 wk of age and challenged with aerosolized ovalbumin 2 wk after the second sensitization to induce asthma-like symptoms. Mock-sensitized mice served as negative controls. One group received once-weekly doses of 200 μg H. pylori extract intragastrically from day 7 of age until the second sensitization. (A and B) Airway hyperresponsiveness in response to increasing doses of methacholine and the highest dose of 100 mg/mL, respectively. (C and D) Total cells and eosinophils contained in 1 mL of BALF. (E–G) Tissue inflammation and goblet cell metaplasia as assessed on H&E and PAS-stained tissue sections; representative micrographs taken at 100× (H&E) and 400× (PAS) original magnification are shown in G. Pooled data from five independent studies are shown in A–F. (H and I) IL-5 and IL-13 secretion by single cell lung preparations restimulated with ovalbumin, as assessed by ELISA. Pooled data from two studies are shown in H and I. In scatter plots, each symbol represents one mouse; horizontal lines indicate the medians.