title: Characterization of proliferative responses and cytokine mRNA profiles induced by Vespula venom in patients with severe reactions to wasp stings.
abstract: The reasons why severe allergic reactions to bee and wasp stings develop in only a small portion of exposed individuals are incompletely understood, but differences in T cell responses to venom antigens comparing allergic and non-allergic individuals are likely to be important. To identify such differences, venom-induced proliferative responses and cytokine mRNA production by blood mononuclear cells from Vespula venom-allergic patients and non-allergic individuals were compared. Mononuclear cells from most venom-allergic patients proliferated in response to alkylated Vespula venom (7275 +/- 8387 ct/min, n = 19), and the extent of proliferation was greater for patients with a history of multiple prior stings and those with high levels of venom-specific IgE. Although mononuclear cells from non-allergic subjects showed little or no proliferation in response to venom (926 +/- 711 ct/min, n = 8), production of mRNAs coding for IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in response to Vespula venom by cells from non-allergic subjects was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), indicating that these individuals had been previously sensitized to venom antigens. In contrast to the Th0 cytokine mRNA profile observed for non-allergic individuals, venom-allergic patients released a more restricted profile of cytokines following stimulation with venom. Only IFN-gamma mRNA expression was detected in all individuals evaluated, whereas IL-2 mRNA was not detected during the first 48 h of stimulation, and T cells from only one of three venom-allergic individuals produced detectable IL-4 or IL-5 mRNA. The difference in cytokine profiles observed comparing venom-allergic patients and non-allergic controls could not be attributed to intrinsic differences in T cells from these individuals, because polyclonal stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) + ionophore induced similar cytokine mRNA profiles in the two groups. These studies demonstrate clear differences in the T cell responses of venom-allergic subjects, that may contribute to the development of severe allergic reactions in these individuals.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U82, Faculté X. Bichat, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonay
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Echchakir
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lecossier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lainé
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hance
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tazi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000276:immunology*; D014863:Wasps
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016207:Cytokines; D017931:DNA Primers; D015342:DNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014862:Wasp Venoms