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Updated: Oct 9, 2026
Murine Model of Allergen Induced Asthma
Published on: May 14, 2012
Effect of aerosolized docosahexaenoic acid in a mouse model of atopic asthma
A Yokoyama1, T Hamazaki, A Ohshita
1Second Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University, Onsen-gun, Japan.
Background:
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found in fish oil is known to depress inflammation-related mediators. We investigated a novel delivery method of tridocosahexaenoyl-glycerol (DHA-TG).
Methods:
BALB/c mice (6-8 weeks old) were primed intraperitoneally with ovalbumin (OVA) and Al(OH)(3) on days 0 and 7, and with aerosolized OVA on day 7. Primed mice were challenged by repeated exposure to aerosolized OVA on days 15-17. Just before each exposure to aerosolized OVA, the mice were also exposed to an aerosol of emulsified DHA-TG or soybean oil, or saline (days 7 and 15-17). Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine was measured, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was obtained 24 h after the last challenge (day 18). Lungs were histologically examined.
Results:
Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of saline-treated mice showed an increased cellularity with predominant eosinophils. Exposure to DHA-TG significantly reduced the total cell number and the eosinophil percentage in lavage fluid, whereas soybean oil did not.
Conclusion:
DHA but not soybean oil exposure reduced BHR and cell infiltration to bronchovascular bundles. This type of DHA administration could be studied in clinical trials.
