A primate model of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABA) in man is featured by the presence of IgE skin sensitizing and IgG precipitating antibodies against Aspergillus fumigatus (AF). An animal model of this disease was created. 2 monkeys immunized with AF produced IgG-precipitating antibody. Normal human serum was infused into both immunized and unimmunized monkeys and allergic human serum containing a high titer of IgE against AF was infused into another pair of immunized and unimmunized monkeys. All monkeys then received an aerosol of AF. Lung biopsies were obtained and light microscopic, immunofluorescent and electron microscopic studies were performed. Only the monkey with precipitating antibody to AF who received human allergic serum showed changes which included an interstitial cellular infiltrate containing large numbers of eosinophils, edema of the intra-alveolar spaces, thickening of the alveolar septa, intracellular and interstitial deposits of IgG and IgM and proliferation of collagen fibrils. No evidence of vasculitis was observed. This primate model of ABA should enhance our understanding of the inflammatory response and the immunologic processes in this disease.