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Differential Allergy Induction by Molds Found in Water-Damaged Homes
Citation:
WARD, M. D., D. W. Chung, Y. Joo, L. B. COPELAND, C. M. PUCHEU-HASTON, AND S. J. VESPER. Differential Allergy Induction by Molds Found in Water-Damaged Homes. Presented at Indoor Air Conference, Washington, DC, June 05 - 10, 2011.
Impact/Purpose:
The data suggest that the identification of high concentration molds in water-damaged homes does not indicate their capacity to induce allergic responses in this mouse model.
Description:
Abstract: We compared the allergy induction potential of high concentration molds found in water-damaged homes and molds found more universally to house dust mite (HDM) in our mouse allergy/asthma model. Female BALB/c mice received 1 or 4 exposures by intratracheal aspiration of 0-80 ug mold extract or HDM. Serum and bronchoaveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected 2 days after the final exposure. The allergic impact of the mold extract exposures was different for each regardless of its categorization. Multiple exposures were required to induce increased BALF eosinophil counts and serum total IgE. Both Cladosporium cladosporiodes (CCE) and Epicoccum nigrum (ENE) induced BALF eosinophil counts and responses to methacholine (Mch) challenge similar to or higher than HDM. Neither Penicillium crustosum (PCG) nor Wallemia sebi induced robust cellular or IgE responses but PCG did induce elevated responses to Mch challenge at the higher doses. The dose required to achieve similar results to those induced by HDM in the antigen-specific IgE assay ranged from 0.2X as much CCE to 6.7X more Trichoderma vlride. .
Relevance: Damp/moldy environments have been associated with asthma exacerbation, but mold's role in allergic asthma induction is less clear. The data suggest that the identification of high concentration molds in water-damaged homes does not indicate their capacity to induce allergic responses in this mouse model. However, the current study does not allow us to draw conclusions regarding the capacity of these molds to non-specifically exacerbate asthmatic responses.
Uncertainty: Uncertainty will be reported as standard error of the mean following analysis using a Dunnett's comparison procedure. Groups were' formed by exposure-dose combinations and then simultaneously compared to the controls (p