Animal models on asthma, food allergy, and anaphylaxis, all of which are growing public health concerns, were evaluated in the last 18 months. While domestic animals acquire asthma, food allergies, and anaphylaxis on their own, different sensitization and challenge methods, doses, intervals, and antigens are employed in animal models to produce asthmatic, food allergic, or anaphylactic phenotypes. This must be taken into account while interpreting results. Instead of model antigens, researchers utilized increasingly relevant allergens like home dust mites in asthma study and food allergens such as peanut, apple, and peach in food allergy research. Novel modified mouse models, such as a mouse with a T-cell receptor for the house dust mite allergen Der p 1 or with transgenic human hFcR genes, aided in the study of specific molecules of interest. Whole-body plethysmography has evolved into a cutting-edge in-vivo readout in asthma research. Novel approaches for real-time monitoring of in-vivo effects following allergen exposure have been established in food allergy and anaphylaxis research. Tissue-sharing networks have been created in an effort to decrease animal trials in allergies that cannot be substituted by in-vitro methods.
Natural and synthetic animal models were utilized to investigate the pathophysiology of asthma, food allergy, and anaphylaxis, as well as to enhance preventive and therapeutic approaches. Novel mouse models, particularly those that replicate molecular elements of the complex immune network in asthma, food allergy, and anaphylaxis, will allow for controlled proof-of-concept investigations.
