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In vitro bioassay to detect reaginic antibodies from the serum of horses affected with Recurrent Airway Obstruction

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Abstract

In horses, Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO) is an allergic disease that involves IgE mediated Type I Hypersensitivity responses. The development of this type of allergy involves a series of events that begins with reaginic antibodies, mainly IgE and some IgG subclasses. These reaginic antibodies bind with high affinity, via the Fc portion, to FcεRI receptors on the membrane of mast cells and basophils. Once bound, environmental allergens cross-link the antibodies, which results in mast cell degranulation leading to the production of histamine and other chemical mediators that act together to induce airway inflammation. RAO-affected horses present with coughing, respiratory distress, airway obstruction and poor performance. The aspect of the RAO has been extensively studied, yet the precise sequence of events is still not well understood. Therefore, this study proposes a bioassay for reaginic antibody detection from horse serum of RAO-affected individuals, in order to determine the etiology of disease, which mediate immediate type reactions. The technique involves measuring in vitro calcium mobilization in RBL-2H3 cells following incubation with horse serum from affected or unaffected horses and one of the RAO antigens (Aspergillus fumigatus). The results presented here demonstrate that 30% of RAO-affected horses react positively in this in vitro bioassay, whereas unaffected horses do not. This bioassay may facilitate further research on RAO and other allergic diseases in horses.

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Fig. 1
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Abbreviations

BALF:

bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

FCS:

fetal calves serum

HBSS:

hank’s balanced salt solution

PBS:

phosphate buffer solution

RAO:

recurrent airway obstruction

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by DID- UACH-S-2009-22 of Universidad Austral de Chile

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Gabriel Morán & Rafael Burgos

  2. Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Oscar Araya

  3. Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Hugo Folch

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  1. Gabriel Morán
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  2. Rafael Burgos
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  3. Oscar Araya
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  4. Hugo Folch
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Correspondence to Gabriel Morán.

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Morán, G., Burgos, R., Araya, O. et al. In vitro bioassay to detect reaginic antibodies from the serum of horses affected with Recurrent Airway Obstruction. Vet Res Commun 34, 91–99 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-009-9334-0

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