Figure 5

Differential cell counts from bronchoalveolar lavage. Differential cell counts from the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of naïve BALB/c mice, mice systemically sensitised and challenge with 1,3 or 6 OVA aerosols and mice systemically sensitized with OVA and challenged with a single PBS aerosol. BALs were collected 24 and 48 hours after the last aerosol. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 5–6). There was a significant increase in the number of eosinophils (p = 0.032) in the BAL following a single OVA aerosol. Exposure to 3 or more OVA aerosols caused a further increase in the number eosinophils (p < 0.001), compared to 1 OVA aerosol, and an increase in the number of macrophages (p < 0.001) compared to naïve mice. There were neutrophils present in the BALs of some mice but only in those groups sensitised and challenged with OVA and only in BALs sampled 24 hours after the last aerosol.