title: Oral food challenge increases in vitro IL-4 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in allergic patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in response to oral challenge in patients with food allergy. Thirty-one patients were compared with 10 healthy subjects. Cell cultures were prepared before and 150 min after single-blind, placebo-controlled, oral food challenge. In vitro production of cytokines was observed after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) plus phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Patients were characterized according to their reactions. In vitro IL-4 production was significantly greater in patients with food sensitization than in controls. The 18 patients with positive food challenge presented significantly greater IL-4 production after food challenge than before. IFN-gamma production was not modified. In the 10 control subjects and in 13 patients with negative food challenge, IL-4 and IFN-gamma production was comparable before and after food challenge. The increased IL-4 production in patients with positive oral food challenge could account for the development of polysensitization. This situation might be relevant to other allergic diseases and to treatments.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Immunopathologie Digestive, INSERM, Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, Pierre-Bénite, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cavagna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma