Evaluation of experimental animal behaviors through establishment of an ovalbumin-induced experimental mouse model of allergic rhinitis

Yu-Hsing Lin 1, #, Yun-Xuan Chang 2, #, Ying-Ching Hung 2, #, Tzu-Yun Chi 2, #, Ping-Min Huang 2, Ya-Peng Wang 2, Tsung-Han Wu 2, Yen-Jung Lu 2, Chia-Yu Lin 2, Guan-Hong Chen 2, Chien-Chao Chiu 2, Ching-Feng Chiu 3, Hsuan-Wen Chiu 4, Wei-Huang Tsai 5, Chia-Chi Chen 2, * and Shao-Wen Hung 2, 6, *

1 Department of Pet Healthcare, College of Medical Technology and Nursing, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, Xiangshan, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
2 Division of Animal Industry, Animal Technology Research Center, Agricultural Technology Research Institute, Xiangshan, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
3 Graduate Institute of Metabolism and Obesity Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
4 Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
5 Department of Science and Technology, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, Taipei 100, Taiwan.
6 Department of Nursing, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
# Equally contributed author.
 
Research Article
International Journal of Biology and Pharmacy Research Updates, 2022, 02(01), 006–013.
Article DOI: 10.53430/ijbpru.2022.2.1.0030
Publication history: 
Received on 24 June 2022; revised on 26 July 2022; accepted on 28 July 2022
 
Abstract: 
Allergic rhinitis (AR) was also called hay fever which was a type of nasal inflammation when the immune system overreacts to environmental allergen exposures. AR’s clinical symptoms included a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, itchy, watery eyes, and eye swelling. The fluid in the nasal cavity was usually clear. Patients with AR can affect sleep and work qualities. Seriously, the AR symptoms can also cause asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, or atopic dermatitis. Therefore, it is an important issue to attenuate AR symptoms and research the novel therapeutic drugs for AR patients. The purpose of this study was to introduce an easy-to-establish experimental mouse model of AR. In this study, the male BALB/c mice were divided respectively into as the Group A (n = 12) and the Group B (n = 12). Group A and Group B were designed as the normal control and RA, respectively. BALB/c mice in Group B were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) on day 0, day 4, day 13, and day 20, followed by continuous nasal administration of OVA solution once per day between day 21-43. BALB/c mice in Group A received sensitization of intraperitoneal injection of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) on day 0, day 4, day 13, and day 20 and continuous nasal administration of PBS instead of OVA once per day between day 21-43. Before and after sensitization, the frequencies of nasal symptoms (sneezing, nasal rubbing) were recorded and counted. Results were showed that sneezing times in Group B were higher than Group A on D29, D30, D36, and D43 of the experiment. The sneezing times in Group A were significant higher on D29 and D30 of the experiment. However, the sneezing times in Group B were significant higher on D29, D30, D36, and D43 of the experiment. The rubbing times in Group B were higher than Group A on D29, D30, D36, and D43 of the experiment. The rubbing times in Group A were significant higher on D30 and D43 of the experiment. However, the rubbing times in Group B were significant higher on D29, D30, D36, and D43 of the experiment. Based on these results, a successful mouse model of AR has been established. We hope that this RA mouse model will provide a tool for the research of the novel AR therapeutic drugs and apply these novel AR therapeutic drugs to attenuate the AR symptoms in AR patients in the future.
 
Keywords: 
Allergic rhinitis; Animal model; Behavior; Ovalbumin
 
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