Lung transcriptome profile in healthy and OVA-sensitized/challenged mice fed a diet supplemented with or without Cap or ODNcap

CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODNs) constitute an attractive alternative for asthma treatment. We found that free feeding of an ODNcap (a CpG-ODN-embedded particle) -containing feed (ODNcap-F) prophylactically attenuates allergic airway inflammation, hyperresponsiveness, and goblet cell hyperplasia in an ovalbumin (OVA) -induced asthma model. To seek the suppressive mechanism of action of ODNcap-F in OVA-induced airway insults, we analyzed the lung transcriptome using DNA microarray analysis. Mice were fed standard feed (Ctrl-F, n = 2), control particle-containing feed (Cap-F, n = 2), or ODNcap-containing feed (ODNcap-F, n = 2) ad libitum for 70 days, and then were sensitized intraperitoneally and inhalation-challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). Mice in the healthy control group (NT, n = 2) were fed standard feed ad libitum for 70 days, and were not exposed to OVA. Lungs were isolated from each mouse, and were used for RNA isolation.