Treatment of bronchial asthma by blockade of GATA-3 expression with nebulized interferon gamma

Objective To investigate the role and the mechanism of IFN-γ on prevention and treatment of bronchial asthma. Me- thods Group C (12 Balb/c mice) was the asthmatic model established by using ovalbumin (OVA) absorbed to aluminum hydroxide. IFN-γ of 12 μg were nebulized and given to the mice in group C on day 23 to 30 once daily. The cellular composition of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected and analyzed on day 31. The levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IgE in serum were determined; the change of pathology and the GATA-3 expression were observed. There are control group (group A) and asthmatic model group (treated with PBS, group B) in the experiment with 12 mice in each group. Results ① Eosinophils in BALF of group C was much notably decreased than that of group B (P 0.01). ② The levels of IL-4 and IL-5 in BALF of group C were much significantly decreased than that of group B (P 0.01). ③ The levels of total IgE and ovalbumin-specific IgE in serum of group C were much significantly decreased than that of group B (P 0.01). ④ Bronchi smooth muscle hypertrophing, mucous hyperemia, mucous layer thickening, and inflammatory cell infiltration were appeared in group B. Phlegmasia was appeared in the bronchi of group B, which was filled with lots of mucus. In contrast, the inflammatory reaction in group C was much less. ⑤ Expression of GATA-3 was obviously increased in group B while expression of GATA-3 decreased notably in group C. Conclusion IFN-γ could inhibit the levels of IL-4, IL-5, asthnatic airway inflammation, eosinophils infiltration, total IgE, and ovalbumin-specific IgE of the mice, whose mechanism may be explained by that IFN-γ could restrain the Th2 reaction by blockade GATA-3 expression in the lung tissue.