Cohabitation with a sick partner increase's allergic lung inflammatory response in mice

Author(s)

Hamasato, Eduardo Kenji ^[1] ; Nascimento de Lima, Ana Paula ^[1] ; Ligeiro de Oliveira, Ana Paula ^[2] ; dos Santos Franco, Adriana Lino ^[3] ; de Lima, Wothan Tavares ^[4] ; Palermo-Neto, Joao ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Vet Med, Dept Pathol, Neuroimmunomodulat Res Grp, BR-05508270 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Nove Julho Univ, Post Grad Program Biophoton Appl Hlth Sci, UNINOVE, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Clin & Toxicol Anal, BR-05508270 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY; v. 42, p. 109-117, NOV 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

The bidirectional relationship between the nervous system and the immune system is relevant for homeostatic organism maintenance. Studies from our laboratory showed that 14 days of cohabitation with a sick partner (injected with Ehrlich tumor cells-TAE) produced behavioral, neurochemical, endocrinological and immunological changes. This study analyzes the effects of cohabitation with an Ehrlich tumor-bearing animal on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammatory response in mice. Pairs of male mice were divided into three groups: naive, control and experimental. Animals of the naive group were kept undisturbed being used for the assessment of basal parameters. One animal of each experimental and control pair of mice was immunized with OVA. On ED(0), these OVA-immunized animals received an OVA booster. At this day (D-(0)) the experimental mice that were kept undisturbed were inoculated with 5 x 10(6) Ehrlich tumor cells; their immunized cage-mates were then referred as to CSP ({''}companion of sick partner{''}). The undisturbed mice of each control pair were i.p. treated on D-(0) with 0.9% NaCl; their sensitized cage-mates were subsequently referred as CHP ({''}companion of health partner{''}). The OVA challenge was performed on CSP and CHP mice on ED(12) and ED(13); blood and tissue collection were performed on ED(14). Fourteen days after cohabitation, in comparison to the CHP mice, the CSP mice displayed the following: (1) an increased number of eosinophils and neutrophils in the BAL, (2) a decreased bone marrow cell count, (3) increased levels of IL-4 and IL-5 and decreased levels of IL-10 and IFN-gamma in the BAL supernatant, (5) increased levels of IgG1-OVA, decreased levels of IgG2a-OVA and no changes in OVA-specific IgE in the peripheral blood, (6) increased expression of L-selectin in the BAL granulocytes, (7) decreased tracheal reactivity to methacholine measured in vitro, (8) no changes in plasma corticosterone levels and (9) increased levels of plasmatic noradrenaline. These results suggest that allergic lung inflammatory response exacerbation in CSP mice is a consequence of the psychological stress induced by forced cohabitation with the sick partner. Strong involvement of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) through adrenaline and noradrenaline release and a shift of the Th1/Th2 cytokine profile toward a Th2 response were considered to be the mechanisms underlying the cell recruitment to the animal's airways. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/03372-3 - The influence of cohabitation with a sick cage mate on pulmonary allergic inflammatory response
• Grantee: Eduardo Kenji Hamasato
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 09/51886-3 - Neuroimmunomodulation: drugs, stress and cytokines on nervous, endocrine and immune systems relationships
• Grantee: João Palermo Neto
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants