Inflammatory Disease: Pulmonary Inflammation and Fibrosis

Main characteristics

• Pulmonary Fibrosis

  Lung fibrosis is induced by intra-tracheal administration of bleomycin, triggering localized injury and inflammation. By two weeks post-administration, the lungs exhibit both fibrotic remodeling and significant infiltration of human immune cells, including macrophages, T cells, and monocytes. This reflects the human-like immune involvement in fibrotic progression, making the model highly relevant for preclinical evaluation of anti-fibrotic and immunomodulatory therapies.

• Ovalbumin Challenge

  In the ovalbumin (OVA) challenge model, humanized mice are sensitized via intraperitoneal immunization with OVA for two weeks, followed by intra-nasal OVA administration to induce a robust allergic airway response. This challenge triggers a typical asthma-like reaction, characterized by infiltration of human immune cells—including eosinophils, T cells, and dendritic cells—into the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, providing a clinically relevant platform for studying human immune mechanisms in allergic airway inflammation.

• Lung and BALF Immunophenotyping

  Our team has developed robust capabilities to characterize human immune cell populations in both the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of CD34+ humanized mice. Using advanced flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry, we have identified the presence of key human immune subsets, including macrophages, T cells, mast cells, basophils, neutrophils, and eosinophils. These readouts provide valuable insights into immune cell recruitment and activation in pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis models, supporting detailed and translational analysis of therapeutic responses.

• Fibrosis Quantification

  Lung fibrosis is quantified through Picosirius Red staining, which highlights collagen deposition and enables precise measurement of fibrotic severity. In parallel, H&E staining is used to assess tissue architecture and immune cell infiltration, providing a comprehensive overview of both fibrotic remodeling and inflammatory response. These histological analyses support high-resolution evaluation of treatment efficacy in lung fibrosis models.

• Clinical Scoring

  Humanized mice are closely monitored throughout the study to assess a composite clinical score, which includes indicators such as reduced activity, shortness of breath, and lack of responsiveness. Additionally, body weight is tracked regularly as a general marker of health and disease progression. At the study endpoint, lungs are collected and weighed, providing a quantitative measure of inflammation and tissue remodeling, and serving as a complementary readout to histological and cellular analyses.