A Multi-omics Analysis of Lung Tissue to Determine an Appropriate Sensitization Concentration in an Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Rhinitis Mouse Model

To investigate an appropriate concentration of ovalbumin (OVA) for inducing allergic rhinitis (AR) in mice. Twenty-eight mice were randomly divided into groups according to a concentration gradient: a control group (Group K), a low-concentration model group (Group A), and Groups B, C, D, and E (each with 4 mice), as well as a high-concentration model group (Group F). A mouse allergic rhinitis (AR) model was established using intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) combined with nasal mucosal stimulation. Nasal mucosa was stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) to observe pathological changes; nasal scratching and sneezing behaviors were observed; serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were quantified using the ELISA method; and bioinformatic analyses of the mouse lung tissue, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, were performed to examine the molecular characteristics and changes in the lung tissue based on the results. After modeling, compared with the control group (Group K), IgE levels in Group F were elevated, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05); there were no statistically significant differences between the other groups and Group K (P > 0.05). HE staining revealed: no obvious abnormalities in the nasal mucosa of the control group; no significant inflammatory cells in the nasal mucosa of the low-concentration group (Group A); and significant inflammatory cell infiltration in the nasal mucosa of the high-concentration group (Group F). The behavioral patterns of mice in Group F differed significantly from those in the control group (P < 0.05), while those in Group A did not differ significantly from the control group (P > 0.05). Results from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed that in the lung tissue of mice in the high-concentration model group, LCN2, MMP-9, S100A8, and S100A9 were upregulated, and the interleukin-17 signaling pathway was significantly activated, consistent with the pathophysiology of allergic rhinitis. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis results suggest that lung tissue from AR mice sensitized with high-concentration ovalbumin exhibited an immune response to the allergen and a compromised airway epithelial barrier. The choice of ovalbumin concentration significantly influences the allergic rhinitis model; the AR mouse model is more suitable when sensitized with high-concentration ovalbumin.