title: Attenuation of allergen sensitivity early in the course of ragweed immunotherapy.
abstract: During the course of an open immunotherapy (IT) study of ragweed (RW)-allergic patients, nasal mediator release was studied by provocation testing. All subjects had a history of seasonal RW rhinitis, positive skin puncture test to RW, and RW-specific IgE by RAST. Nasal challenge was performed with serial dilutions of RW extract, before and after 12 weekly injections, providing a cumulative dose of 0.22 microgram of Amb a I. Serum IgE and IgG and basophil histamine release with RW were also measured. By 12 weeks of IT, when only 1% of the usual maintenance level dose had been administered, mean histamine release and TAME-esterase activity in nasal washes decreased significantly (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01). Prostaglandin D2 release did not change. Skin sensitivity decreased (p less than 0.05), whereas RW-specific IgE increased (p less than 0.05). No significant change in basophil histamine release was observed for RW or a control antigen. Only six of 40 subjects had an RW-specific IgG rise greater than 0.05 microgram/ml. Changes in nasal sensitivity did not correlate with the increases in IgE or IgG or with the change in skin test sensitivity. These present data indicate that there is a significant decline in nasal sensitivity to inhaled RW very early in the course of IT. There is, however, no indication of a relationship between the decreased nasal sensitivity and the production of RW-specific IgG antibodies.
authors: Karolinska Institutet at Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Hedlin
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Silber
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Schieken
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Naclerio
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Proud
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Eggleston
authors: N F
authors: NF
authors: Adkinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002648:Child; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006636:Histamine Release; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008297:Male; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D009299:Nasal Provocation Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011058:Pollen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D011457:Prostaglandins D / Q000378:metabolism; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D012882:Skin Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D014106:Tosylarginine Methyl Ester / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; C026967:Amb a I protein, Ambrosia artemisiifolia; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011457:Prostaglandins D; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D014106:Tosylarginine Methyl Ester