Research Article

The Impact of Aspergillus fumigatus Viability and Sensitization to Its Allergens on the Murine Allergic Asthma Phenotype

Figure 3

Effect of inhaled dead or live A. fumigatus conidia on IgA and IgG2a levels in the serum, BALF, and lung sections of a non-sensitized murine host. Total IgA (a, c) and IgG2a (b, d) levels were determined in the BALF (a, b) and serum (c, d) samples obtained from mice challenged with dead or live A. fumigatus conidia, at days 3, 7, and 28 after third fungal challenge. Commercially available mouse-specific ELISAs were used for this purpose. Immunohistochemical staining for IgA antibody localization on lung sections obtained from mice challenged with dead (e) or live (f) A. fumigatus conidia, at day 7 after third fungal challenge, showed cell-associated IgA in mice challenged with live A. fumigatus conidia (e). IgE and IgG (not shown) positive immunohistochemical staining showed secreted- or endothelium-associated antibody in these mice. Bars represent mean ± SEM,  mice/group. * and # designate a , as compared with naïve mice or mice challenged with dead conidia, respectively. Scale bar = 100 μm.
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