Alérgenos e suas respostas fisiopatológicas em modelos murinos de indução da asma: uma revisão integrativa

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects approximately 29% of the global population and is a significant public health issue. Its complex pathogenesis, characterized by bronchial hyper-responsiveness, inflammation, and airway remodeling, makes animal models essential tools for studying this disorder. Through these models, it is possible to investigate the underlying mechanisms of asthma, from sensitization to allergens to the development of new therapies. Various murine models replicate different aspects of human asthma, each with its own advantages and limitations. To induce asthma in mice, various allergens are used, including ovalbumin, lipopolysaccharides, house dust mites, particulate matter, and cockroach allergens. The choice of the appropriate model depends on the specific research objectives, such as the phenotype and pathophysiology of asthma to be studied and the desired immune response. This work aims to conduct an integrative literature review on the types of allergens used in different murine models for asthma induction and analyze the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying allergic asthma. An integrative literature review was performed in the databases PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus over the last 10 years using descriptors such as "smooth muscle," "rat," "mouse," "guinea pig," "asthma," "animal model," "allergens," and "asthma model" in English. It was observed that between 2014 and 2024, 1,728 articles were published; according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 157 of these studies addressed the murine asthma model, considering aspects of pathophysiology, applicability, and results in these experimental models. Like human asthma, murine models of asthma induction show increased infiltration of eosinophils, neutrophils, leukocytes, macrophages, and monocytes, as well as inflammatory mediators such as various interleukins, IgE, TNF- α, and IFN-γ. Additionally, there is hypertrophy and hyperplasia of epithelial cells and goblet cells in the smooth muscle of the airways—factors responsible for hyperresponsiveness and changes in pulmonary function. Therefore, it is concluded that using allergens in mice is an essential tool for understanding the immunological mechanisms involved in asthma, allowing for the simulation of aspects of allergic asthma. This evaluation enables testing the efficacy of new substances with therapeutic potential for treating this disorder while considering the heterogeneity of the disease and its multiple exacerbating factors.