TABLE 2.
Highlights of findings from mouse models of eosinophil depletion
| Mouse model | Study | Intervention | Key findings |
| ΔdblGATA | Yu et al. [59], 2002 | NA | Eosinophils absent; no overt defects (viable and fertile; normal lifespan) |
| PHIL | Lee et al. [60], 2004 | NA | Eosinophils absent; no overt defects (viable and fertile; normal lifespan); reduced pulmonary mucus accumulation and airway hyperresponsiveness in response to allergen challenge |
| ΔdblGATA and PHIL | Swartz et al. [61], 2006 | Helminth infection (Schistosoma mansoni) | No effect on traditional measures of infection; increased IL-5 expression versus wild-type controls |
| PHIL | O’Connell et al. [62], 2011 | Helminth infection (Strongyloides stercoralis) | Similar primary and secondary immune responses versus wild-type controls; larval killing was impaired in PHIL mice treated with neutrophil-depleting antibodies |
| PHIL | Cadman et al. [63], 2014 | Helminth infection (Brugia malayi) | Compared with wild-type controls, infected PHIL mice had longer survival of microfilariae during primary infection, augmented parasite-induced IgE response, increased goblet cell mucus production and reduced airway physiology changes |
| ΔdblGATA | Knott et al. [64], 2007 | Helminth infection (Nippostrongylus brasiliensis) | Compared with wild-type controls, infected ΔdblGATA mice had greater worm burden and egg deposition, less resistance to secondary lung infection, and similar expulsion of worms from primary/secondary infection |
| ΔdblGATA | Huang et al. [65], 2015 | Helminth infection (Trichinella spiralis) | Compared with wild-type controls, infected ΔdblGATA mice had similar adult worm clearance in primary/secondary infection and reduced resistance to skeletal muscle larvae accumulation |
| ΔdblGATA | Frohberger et al. [66], 2019 | Helminth infection (Litomosoides sigmodontis) | Compared with wild-type controls, infected ΔdblGATA mice had greater microfilaraemia and higher adult worm counts |
| ΔdblGATA and PHIL | Fabre et al. [67], 2009 | Helminth infection (T. spiralis) | Increased death of larvae in skeletal muscle was observed in ΔdblGATA and PHIL mice compared with wild-type controls |
| ΔdblGATA and PHIL | Gebreselassie et al. [68], 2012 | Helminth infection (T. spiralis) | Transfer of eosinophils from infected IL-5 transgenic mice to infected ΔdblGATA and PHIL mice improved larvae growth and survival |
| PHIL | Drake et al. [69], 2016 | Viral infection (parainfluenza 1) | Reduced parainfluenza virus RNA after ovalbumin sensitisation and resulting eosinophil recruitment were observed in virus-infected wild-type controls but not PHIL mice |
| ΔdblGATA | Ma et al. [70], 2018 | Viral infection (influenza A/HK/1/68) | ΔdblGATA and wild-type controls both succumbed to influenza infection despite repeated exposure to the fungus Alternaria alternata to stimulate eosinophil recruitment to nasal passages |
| ΔdblGATA | Yordanova et al. [71], 2021 | Protozoan parasite infection (Giardia muris) | Measures of parasite control were similar in infected ΔdblGATA mice and wild-type controls |
| PHIL | Arnold et al. [72], 2018 | Bacterial infection (Helicobacter pylori, Citrobacter rodentium) | Compared with wild-type controls, infected PHIL mice had lower (H. pylori) or higher (C. rodentium) bacterial colonisation in the gastrointestinal tract, increased inflammation and Th1 response, and more severe C. rodentium-induced colitis (consistent with greater immune activation) |
| ΔdblGATA | Gestal et al. [73], 2018 | Bacterial infection (Bordetella bronchiseptica) | No difference was observed in colonisation dynamics between ΔdblGATA mice and wild-type controls; differences were observed when mice were infected with a mutant B. bronchiseptica strain |
| ΔdblGATA | O’Dea et al. [74], 2014 | Fungal infection (Aspergillus fumigatus) | In this neutropenic infection model, ΔdblGATA mice experienced reduced fungal burden and mortality compared with wild-type controls |
| ΔdblGATA | Amarsaikhan et al. [75], 2017 | Fungal infection (A. fumigatus) | In this neutropenic infection model, caspofungin-induced pulmonary aspergillosis was less severe and fungal burden was lower in ΔdblGATA mice versus wild-type controls |
| ΔdblGATA | Dietschmann et al. [76], 2020 | Fungal exposure (A. fumigatus) | Compared with wild-type controls, infected ΔdblGATA mice had lower IL-4, IL-17 and IL-23 expression in the lung and reduced number of Th2 cells in the lung parenchyma, and similar expression of goblet cell markers, number of mucin-positive cells and lung weight increase |
| ΔdblGATA | Wang et al. [77], 2021 | Fungal exposure (A. fumigatus) | Compared with wild-type controls, infected ΔdblGATA mice had lower IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue, reduced expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress markers, milder increases in apoptosis and less lung autophagy |
NA: not applicable; IL: interleukin; Th1/2: T-helper 1/2.