title: Serum level of interleukin-4 in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis during allergen-specific immunotherapy.
abstract: Interleukin-4 (IL-4) may play a central role in the IgE synthesis system, the development of Th-2-like cells, and co-ordination as well as the persistence of airway inflammatory process in allergic disorders. Therefore, IL-4 plays a key role in airway allergic disorders. This study aimed at investigating the serum concentrations of IL-4 in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis, with special reference to the possible changes and the clinical relevance following long-term immunotherapy. The study has demonstrated that the serum level of IL-4 in allergic rhinitis patients before immunotherapy is significantly higher than that in non-atopic individuals. However, the serum IL-4 level in allergic rhinitis patients did not decrease following anti-allergic medications but significantly decreased following immunotherapy. The percentage decrease in IL-4 was correlated significantly with the percentage decrease in specific IgE antibodies following long-term immunotherapy. Immunotherapy also significantly decreased specific IgE anti-bodies, but this reduction in specific IgE antibodies was not significantly correlated with the clinical improvement. In contrast, the percentage decrease in serum IL-4 was significantly correlated with the percentage decrease in symptomatic scores. The authors interpret these data to mean that immunotherapy alters T-cell cytokine profiles in the long-term, and a decline of IL-4 following immunotherapy could modulate not only production of specific IgE antibodies but also inflammatory cellular events, leading to symptomatic relief in allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kakinoki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Washio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007167:Immunotherapy; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D006023:Glycoproteins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E