Fig. 5

Prenatal ETS exacerbates allergen-induced production of type 2 cytokines and cysteinyl leukotrienes in the offspring. The effect of exposure to prenatal ETS or filtered air on the exacerbation of type 2 cytokine and cysLT production in the airways was examined in 12-week old pups. The offspring mice (6 per group) were intranasally challenged with HDM allergen or PBS (control) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue collected for analysis. Lung mononuclear cells (LMC) were isolated by collagenase dispersion of lung tissue. a Cytokine levels in the BALF were measured using ELISA or V-Plex assay and cysteinyl leukotriene (cysLT) levels determined using ELISA. b LMC stimulated with either HDM allergen extract (20 μg, Greer Laboratories) or immobilized anti-αβ TCR antibody (2 μg/ml, H57, ATCC). After culture for 24 h, production of IL-13 was measured in the supernatants using ELISA. Results are mean ± SEM (n = 6), *p < 0.05 and ***p < 0.001. NS = not significant