To study pathogenetic mechanisms in chronic asthma, we employed a novel experimental
model that replicates characteristic features of the human disease. Chronic inflammation
and epithelial changes, specifically localized to the airways, were induced by repeated
exposure of systemically sensitized BALB/c mice to low mass concentrations of aerosolized
ovalbumin for 6 weeks. The contribution of Th2 cytokine-driven inflammation to the
development of airway lesions and hyperreactivity was assessed in cytokine-deficient mice …