Abstract
To study the effects of chronic enteral antigen administration to anaphylactically sensitised individuals and to study the involvement of the mucosal mast cell (MMC), we developed a rat model to monitor MMC activation by repeated blood measurements of the rat mast cell protease II (RMCPII). Groups of rats previously sensitised systemically with a low dose of ovalbumin were gavaged with buffer, ovalbumin, bovine serum albumin or a mixture of the two proteins over different time periods commencing 14 days after priming. Blood samples were obtained 1, 3 and 6 hours after the challenges and serum levels of the RMCPII determined by immunoassay. Release of this specific mucosal mast cell mediator was only observed in animals challenged with ovalbumin and the initial challenge released levels of RMCPII fifteen-fold higher than normal resting levels. Subsequent daily challenges evoked the release of progressively lower levels of mediator (four, three and two-fold higher than resting levels). After a ten-day rest period before further challenges the levels of RMCPII released were still within the lower range, whereas animals not previously challenged were still capable of releasing high levels of the mediator at the time of first mucosal contact with the antigen. This animal model will be useful in investigating the effects of chronic antigen administration on gastrointestinal and mucosal mast cell physiology.
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Turner, M., Barnett, G. & Strobel, S. A RAT OF INTESTINAL HYPERSENSITIVITY: MUCOSAL MAST CELL ACTIVATION FOLOWING REPEATED FEEDING OF ANTIGEN. Pediatr Res 26, 274 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198909000-00065
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198909000-00065