RESPONSIVENESS OF BASOPHIL GRANULOCYTES OF HORSES SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE TO VARIOUS ALLERGENS

As basophils are the major effector cells of allergic reactions, confi rmation of the allergic etiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary dise ase (COPD) was sought by the demonstration of a specific in vitro resp onse of equine basophilic blood cells to some potential allergens (Asp ergillus, Cladosporidium, Mucor, Penicillium, extracts of dust particl es of hay and straw). The allergen induced degranulation of basophils and the histamine and protease release from basophils during incubatio n with the allergens were tested. By evaluating the results obtained f rom 14 COPD horses and eight controls it could be shown that the sensi tivity of the basophils of affected horses was increased, particularly against the allergen extract of Mucor mucedo and Mucor spinosus. Furt her a greater percentage of COPD horses reacted positively with the Mu cor allergen extract. The mitogenic stimulation of lymphocytes by PHA and by the allergen extracts used gave comparable results in affected and control horses. Thus the in vitro stimulation of basophils may be an easily to perform testing device for the identification of potentia l allergens involved in the pathogenesis of equine COPD.