Studying the function of dendritic cells in mouse models of asthma

Dendritic cells (DCs) are known to play a crucial role in the induction of allergic asthma in mouse models. Their antigen presentation capacity, linked to their capacity to prime naïve T cells and polarize them towards a Th1, Th2, Th17 or Treg profile, allows them to efficiently initiate an immune response to allergens. Airway dendritic cells also play a crucial role in the local restimulation of circulating effector T cells upon allergen challenge. Given their important implication in pathogenesis of asthma in mice models, the study of environmental and pharmacologic effects on DCs function is now a blooming field. There is therefore a critical need for a stable, yet flexible animal model to investigate the effects of various environmental factors (endotoxins, pollutants, etc.) or pharmacologic molecules on DCs and subsequently on their role in asthma pathogenesis. This chapter presents an approach using a reliable animal model of asthma that has the advantage to allow interventions on DCs before their use to induce allergic asthma. We also cover some of the endpoint techniques used to assess asthma and the immune reactions involved in its pathogenesis.