감작된 BALB/c 생쥐에서 Schultz-Dale 반응과 Th2 면역반응에 대한 Dehydroepiandrosterone의 효과

Background: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) increases the production of interferon (IFN)-γ, and IFN-γ suppresses the Th2 response. Objective: To investigate whether DHEA suppresses the in vitro allergen-induced response of airway muscles. Method: Female BALB/c mice were fed mouse chow containing 0, 0.001, 0.01 or 0.1% DHEA during the study period. The animals were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA), and then the Schultz-Dale reaction to 50μg/ml OVA, serum OVA-specific IgE concentration and cytokine production by cultured splenocytes were measured. Result: OVA-sensitized mice (n=20) developed a Schultz-Dale reaction, had significantly high concentrations of IgE and IL-5 and a significantly low IFN-γ/IL-5 ratio compared to the controls (n=20). The treatment with 0.1% DHEA significantly decreased the IL-5 level (123 vs. 54 pg/ml, P＜0.001) and tended to increase the IFN-γ/IL-5 ratio (2.2±0.3 vs. 3.7±0.7, P=0.09), but did not suppress the Schultz-Dale reaction and IgE levels. The contractile responses of muscles to OVA were significantly related to OVA-specific IgE levels (r=0.446, P＜0.001) and the IFN-γ/IL-5 ratio (r=?0.427, P＜0.001). Conclusion: DHEA did not suppress the Schultz-Dale reaction or the OVA-specific IgE production despite a significant suppression in the Th2 response in mice. (Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol 2008;28:121-127)