Comparison of systemic and intranasal bcg treatment in experimental allergic rhinitis-induced rats

Allergic rhinitis is characterized by inflammation of the nasal mucosa, accompanied by itching, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and postnasal drift symptoms. Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is used as a vaccine for tuberculosis and leprosy. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether it is investigating the effect of BCG therapy is an option in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The experimental animals were divided into 6 groups. Group A in which there are control group with seven rats;Group B in which there are seven rats created allergic rhinits;Group C in which there are seven rats that is only given topical BCG; Group D in which there are seven rats that is only given systemic BCG; Group E in which there are seven rats created allergic rhinitis and given intranasal BCG; Group F in which there are seven rats created allergic rhinits and given systemic BCG were arranged.A rat in group C died. Allergic rhinitis was created by being given intraperitoneal ovalbumin every other day for 14 days to experimental animal groups except from A,C,D groups. After 15 days, these groups were provoked with intranasal ovalbumin daily for 15 days.The rats in Group E were given daily intranasal BCG for 2 weeks after one hour from intranasal ovalbumin,starting on the day 15th and systemic BCG was given weekly for seven weeks,starting 2 weeks before allergies were created to the rats in Group F. Blood samples were taken 24 hours later from the end of the study and IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-y were measured by ELİSA. Additionally animals were sacrificed and nasal mucosa was stored for histological examination. In both groups treated with systemic BCG and topical BCG, histopathological evaluation score (goblet cell increase, connective tissue increase, vascular congestion, vascular proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration, eosinophil infiltration) were significantly decreased compared to the allergy group.(p <0.005). There was no significant difference in histopathological evaluation scores between the two treatment groups (p >0.05). There was no significant difference in serum IL-4, IL-5 and IFN- arasında between allergy and treatment groups. (p>0.05) The results showed that BCG may be an alternative treatment for allergic rhinitis because it reduces the allergic inflammation at the tissue level. Key Words: Experimental allergic rhinitis, OVA , BCG