ObjectiveThe object of this study was to compare the immunological characteristics of brown Norway (BN) rats and guinea pigs challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). MethodsAnimals were actively sensitized to OVA or sham sensitized, and 10 days later lymphocytes function in the spleen or bone marrow, activity of peritoneal mast cells and changes of calcium concentration in the peritoneal mast cells were tested. ResultsBoth phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation in the spleen and bone marrow, and the bone marrow lymphocyte activity in the OVA-sensitized rat group were significantly higher than that of the guinea pig group (P<0.05). Annexin-V was used as the biomarker in the process of degranulation of mast cells in the present study. There was an increase of annexin-V binding mast cells in the OVA-sensitized animals, and the amount of mast cells in the OVA-sensitized rat group was twice more increased than that in the guinea pig group. The calcium concentration was also increased in the OVA-sensitized animals, but showed only a significant difference in the calcium concentrations in the mast cells of guinea pigs before and after OVA-sensitization (P<0.01). ConclusionsThe results of this study indicate that repeated intraperitoneal OVA challenges induce immunological responses differently in the BN rats and guinea pigs. The activity of bone marrow lymphocytes in the OVA-sensitized BN rats is considerably higher than that in the sensitized guinea pigs, but the calcium concentration in the mast cells of sensitized guinea pigs is higher than that of BN rats. An appropriate animal model should be selected according to the relevant immunological characteristics and actual demands of the experiment.