Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by the inflammation of the airways due to infiltration and activation of several inflammatory cells that produce cytokines. c-kit, a proto-oncogene that encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor, has been found to be associated with allergic inflammation. The aim of the present study was to assess whether silencing of c-kit with small interference RNA (siRNA) would attenuate inflammation in allergic asthma. A mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma was treated with systemic administration of anti-c-kit siRNA to inhibit the expression of the c-kit gene. siRNAs were injected through the vena caudalis. We measured inflammatory response in both anti-c-kit siRNA-treated and control mice. Systemic administration of siRNA could effectively inhibit the expression of the c-kit gene and reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells (eosinophils and lymphocytes) into the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In addition, we found that c-kit siRNA can decrease the production of the T-helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines, interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-5, but has no influence on IFN-γ generation. These results show that inhibition of c-kit expression with siRNA can reduce the inflammatory response in allergic asthma.

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