title: Cytokines in nasal fluids from school children with seasonal allergic rhinitis.
abstract: Allergic rhinitis is a particularly good model for studies of cytokine production in vivo. In this study the occurrence of the cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IFN-gamma as well as the soluble receptor for IL-4 in nasal lavage fluids were assayed in 38 school children, with seasonal allergic rhinitis, and 19 healthy age-matched, non-atopic controls, using highly sensitive enzyme immunoassays. IL-4 levels in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis were markedly increased in comparison with those in non-atopic controls or in atopic patients before the start of the pollen season. In controls, but not in the atopic patients, levels of IFN-gamma and IL-5 were significantly higher in specimens obtained during the pollen season than in those obtained outside the season. The IL-4/IFN-gamma ratios were significantly higher in atopic than in non-atopic subjects and further increased in atopic patients during the season. In addition to IL-4, elevated levels of IL-10 were observed in association with seasonal rhinitis. Following treatment with a topical steroid (budesonide) there was a statistically significant increase of the levels of soluble IL-4 receptor. These findings indicate that nonatopic and atopic individuals react to pollen exposure with distinct cytokine patterns in agreement with the Th1/Th2 concept. Topical steroids may possibly decrease inflammation by increasing the formation of soluble IL-4 receptor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sahlgren's University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: I L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Strannegård
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wennergren
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Strannegård
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007164:Immunosorbents; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007378:Interleukins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007164:Immunosorbents; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007378:Interleukins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma