The inverse association between tuberculin responses and atopic disorder.
Human immune responses are heterogeneous and may involve antagonism between T helper (TH) lymphocyte subsets and their cytokines. Atopy is characterized by immediate immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity to agents such as dust mites and pollen, and it underlies the increasingly prevalent disorder asthma. Among Japanese schoolchildren, there was a strong inverse association between delayed hypersensitivity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and atopy. Positive tuberculin responses predicted a lower incidence of asthma, lower serum IgE levels, and cytokine profiles biased toward TH1 type. Exposure and response to M. tuberculosis may, by modification of immune profiles, inhibit atopic disorder.
Shirakawa
T
T
Lung Research Laboratory, Osler Chest Unit, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UK. jhopkin@immsvr.jr2.ox.ac.uk
Enomoto
T
T
Shimazu
S
S
Hopkin
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology*; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology
D001500:BCG Vaccine; D016207:Cytokines; D014373:Tuberculin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma