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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Reversible, Non-invasive Method for Airway Resistance Measurements and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Sampling in Mice
Published on: April 13, 2010
[Effects of dexamethasone on expression of Th17 transcription factor RORgammat mRNA in experimental asthma mice.]
Si-Ming Hu1, Ya-Ling Luo, Wen-Yan Lai
1Department of Respiratory Diseases, Nangfan Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Aim:
To study the effects of dexamethasone (Dex) on expression of Th17 transcription factor retinoic acid-related orphan receptor gamma t(RORgammat)in asthma.
Methods:
The BALB/c mice asthma model was induced by ovalbumin(OVA) with classic method.Thirty female mice were randomly divided into control group, asthmatic group and Dex treated group. The level of IL-17 in mice bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Airway Responsiveness to acetylcholine chloride(Ach) was measured by a modified non-invasive method; The airway inflammation was evaluated by HE staining.The expression of RORgammat mRNA was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).
Results:
The level of RORgammat mRNA, IL-17 of asthmatic group were significantly higher than those of control group(P<0.01), which were significantly reduced by Dex compared with the asthmatic group(P<0.05).
Conclusion:
Dex can inhibit the release of IL-17, whose mechanism may be the blockade of TH17 differentiation in asthmatic models by inhibit the RORgammat expression.
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