Hypersensitivity neumonitis induced by antigens to bat feces in guinea pigs

ALONSO A, MOUCHIAN K, ALBONICO JF, PIONETTI CH, POTENZA MARIANA, BIGNONE ML

ALLERGOLOGIA ET IMMUNOPATHOLOGIA.

Doyma

Lugar: España; Año: 2003 vol. 31 p. 215 - 220

0301-0546

A bat feces extract was able to induce the synthesis of specific IgG in rabbits and IgE in atopics. These findings were corroborated by skin tests, RAST and RAST-inhibition. Nowadays, data concerning the experimental induction of hypersensitivity pneumonitis using a glycoprotein of bat feces are presented. This antigen was aerosolized for inhalation by adult guinea pigs for 12 weeks to detect specific serum IgM, IgG and IgE antibodies as well as sensitized T-CD4 cells. Histopathological studies of the lungs showed interstitial infiltrates of macrophages and lymphocytes, cellular bronchiolitis and single non-necrotizing granulomas from the seventh to the ninth weeks. From the tenth week to the end of the experiment the lesions of the lungs progressively worsened. The results from this animal model suggest that the chronic contact with the bat feces´antigen can induce other inflammatory lung reactions than those IgE dependant.