title: The effect of immunotherapy on T-cell subsets in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in pollen-allergic patients.
abstract: The effect of immunotherapy (IT) on T-cell subsets in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) was examined in 15 patients with rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma caused by sensitivity to birch pollen. They were treated with IT for 3 years. Seven patients were treated with highly standardized birch-pollen extract (Pharmacia, Sweden). Eight untreated patients served as controls. Histamine challenge, blood sampling, and BAL were performed before (January, February), and at the peak of, the birch-pollen season (May). The subpopulations of T cells in peripheral blood and BAL fluid were investigated by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. During the birch-pollen season, the percentage of CD3+ and CD4+ cells of blood mononuclear cells in the IT patients increased significantly (P < 0.03 and P < 0.02, respectively). The percentage of CD8+ cells remained unaltered. In control patients, no changes of T-cell subsets in the peripheral blood were observed. T-cell subsets in BAL did not change during the season in relation to preseasonal values for either IT-treated or non-IT-treated patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Lung Medicine, Central Hospital, Västerås, Sweden.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rak
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hallden
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sörenson
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Margari
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheynius
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011058:Pollen; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens