Increased poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 expression and activity are associated with inflammation but not goblet cell metaplasia in murine models of allergen-induced airway inflammation

ABSTRACTInflammation plays a key role in lung injury and in the pathogenesis of asthma. Two murine models of allergic airway inflammation—sensitization and challenge to ovalbumin (OVA) and intratracheal exposure to interleukin-13 (IL13)—were used to evaluate the expression of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) in allergic airway inflammation. Inflammation is prominent in OVA-induced allergic asthma, but this inflammation is greatly reduced by a PARP-1 inhibitor and almost eliminated when PARP-1 knockout mice are subjected to the OVA model. The present study temporally evaluated PARP-1 protein expression, localization, and activity, as well as inflammation and goblet cell metaplasia (GCM), in murine lungs following a single OVA challenge or IL13 exposure. Following OVA challenge PARP-1 protein expression and activity were greatly increased, being maximal at 3 to 5 days following OVA exposure and beginning to decrease by day 8. These changes correlated with the timing and degree of inflammation and GCM....