Delayed-type hypersensitivity responses in ponies following allergen injection in the skin.

<p>Immune reactions of 6 healthy (light bars) and 10 IBH-sensitive animals (dark bars) to allergen injection in winter was determined at the site of injection at different time points after injection. <b>A</b>) relative skin swelling in animals, 30 min following <i>C</i>. <i>obsoletus</i> WBE compared to histamine injection; <b>B</b>) total histological score of the skin; <b>C</b>) number of mast cells; <b>D</b>) total CD3 mRNA expression; <b>E</b>) total MIP1α mRNA expression. Bars represent average +SEM; dots represent individual animals.</p

Increased frequencies of allergen-specific Th1 cells in healthy compared to IBH-affected ponies.

<p>Allergen-specific CD4 T-cells were <i>in vitro</i> expanded in summer from PBMC of 11 healthy and 8 IBH-affected animals, by stimulation with WBE. Cytokine expression of expanded CD4 T-cells was then determined by exposure to monocyte-derived DCs in the presence or absence of allergen. <b>A</b>) representative FACS blot; <b>B</b>) IFNγ- and <b>C</b>) IL4 CD4 T-cells; <b>D</b>) ratio IFNγ/ IL4 CD4 T-cells. Bars represent average +SEM; dots represent individual animals.</p

Type-1 immune response skewing in the skin of healthy ponies following allergen injection.

<p>Cytokine expression at the site of injection, 24 hrs after allergen injection, was determined by qRT-PCR. <b>A</b>) IFNγ and <b>B</b>) IL4 mRNA expression as ratio to 18S; <b>C</b>) ratio IFNγ / IL4 expression. Bars represent average +SEM; n = 6 and n = 10, for healthy and IBH-sensitive animals, respectively; dots represent individual animals.</p