title: The influence of substance P on the proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal individuals and birch pollen-allergic patients.
abstract: We have studied the influence of substance P (SP) on the proliferative response of concanavalin A (ConA)-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes from 16 birch pollen-allergic patients, sampled before and during the pollen season, and from 15 normal individuals. The median response to ConA 3 micrograms/ml in the presence of SP 10(-11)-10(-6) M, was in most instances within +/- 10% of the control value for cells from both healthy and atopic individuals. However, the individual differences were considerable. Analysis of the proliferative responses to ConA of the cells from the allergic patients sampled before and during season, revealed higher responses in the presence of 10(-6) than of 10(-7) M SP. This was in contrast to the findings in the normal individuals: only half of their cells showed such increased responses. This difference in response frequency was statistically significant between allergic patients before season and normal individuals (P less than 0.05) and between allergic patients during season and normal individuals (P less than 0.01). The difference in proliferation rate in the SP concentration interval, 10(-6) to 10(-7) M, for the cells from allergic patients, sampled both before and during season, was significantly different from the cells from healthy individuals (P less than 0.03 and P less than 0.001 respectively). The cells sampled from four allergic subjects during the birch pollen season showed a more profoundly decreased response to ConA in the presence of SP 10(-8) M, compared with their cells sampled before season. Such responses were never seen with cells sampled before season and with cells from normal individuals. The results suggest an involvement of SP in the immunoregulation, particularly in patients exhibiting allergic reactions to birch pollen.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology*; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013373:Substance P / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D037121:Plant Lectins; D003208:Concanavalin A; D013373:Substance P