Treatment with chitin microparticles is protective against lung histopathology in a murine asthma model

Abstract

Intranasal application of microgram quantities of chitin microparticles had a beneficial effect in preventing and treating histopathologic changes in the airways of asthmatic mice.

Nonlinear relationship of mite allergen exposure to mite sensitization and asthma in a birth cohort

“…Chitin has been suggested to both stimulate 30,31 and be protective 32,33 for allergy in animal and human models. Chitin was not measured in this study.…”

Chitin, Chitinase Responses, and Invasive Fungal Infections

“…In addition, when used as an adjuvant, chitin produced Th1 responses comparable to other adjuvants, including heat-killed Mycobacterium bovis , Freud's complete adjuvant, and the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine [63]. Chitin produced effects similar to those of a Th1-promoting adjuvant in mouse models of ovalbumin-induced asthma and allergic hypersensitivities induced by the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and by the fungal pathogen A. fumigatus [64, 66]. Chitin administration significantly reduced allergen-induced serum IgE levels and lung inflammation.…”

Determinants of allergenicity

“…100,101 Chitin, a biopolymer of N-acetyl-b-D-glucosamine that is present in insects, mites, fungal spores, helminths, and crustaceans, has previously shown to induce T H 1 responses or even the prevent allergy. 102,103 A recent report of Reese et al, 104 however, demonstrates that chitin, even though not recognized as an allergen in itself, can act as a potent inducer of IL-4-producing eosinophils and basophils, which might then facilitate the development of IgE-dominated immune responses. Chitin-induced eosinophil and basophil recruitment is independent of TLRs and involves BLT1 receptor-dependent accumulation of alternatively activated macrophages.…”