House dust mite (HDM)-induced subacute asthma in marmoset

House dust mite (HDM) is the most frequent in-house allergen known to induce allergic symptoms in humans. HDM-induced subacute allergic asthma in marmoset is a state-of-the-art model, closely reflecting more features of clinical asthma than rodent models. Marmosets are new world monkeys with a very high level of homology and physiological similarity to humans.

The allergen challenge involves repeated exposure to HDM for a period of several weeks. This exposure treatment has been shown to reproduce hallmarks of human asthma, including Th2-driven allergic inflammation with influx of eosinophils. It provides the opportunity to assess novel treatments in a therapeutic rather than a prophylactic setting.

Readout parameters

  • Skin prick test
  • In-life assessment of lung function: early airway response (EAR) – airway response to allergen exposure; airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) – airway response to methacholine exposure
  • Bronchoalveolar lavage: total and differential cell counts by flow cytometry, cytokine levels by ELISA or MSD
  • Histology imaging: conventional staining, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and pathology scoring
  • Lung tissue analysis: RNA isolation for gene expression analysis, cytokine levels by ELISA or MSD
  • Ex-vivo PBMC allergen challenge assay

Publication

  1. Curths C, Dahlmann F, Wichmann J, Becker T, Knauf Y, Kaup FJ, Braun A, and Knauf S. House-dust-mite induced features of asthma in marmoset monkeys. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 191 (2015): A4228.

Contact

Franziska Dahlmann

Contact Press / Media

Dr. Franziska Dahlmann

Manager of the Working Group on Infection and Immunology

Phone +49 511 5350-416