title: Complement activation in the nasal mucosa following nasal ragweed-allergen challenge.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore complement activation in the nasal lavage following a nasal ragweed-allergen challenge. The study was carried out with 15 adolescents who were allergic to ragweed and with six non-allergic healthy volunteers. Following the baseline measurement after the symptoms were registered, subjects were given increasing doses of ragweed allergen. Lavage fluid was collected and tested for a complement-activation product (C3bBbP). The allergic patients responded to allergen provocation with an increase in C3bBbP formation compared to the initial lavage (p = 0.001). The C3bBbP level remained low in the lavage fluids of the non-allergic controls. We found a strong correlation between the threshold dose that induced symptoms and the dose where the maximum complement activation was detected (r = 0.78, p = 0.001). Our findings indicate that in allergic patients nasal challenge with ragweed allergen induces a rise in complement activation in the nasal lavage fluid. These results highlight the role of the complement system in the allergic inflammation on the nasal mucosal surface.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. mezei@gyerl.sote.hu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mezei
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veres
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Füst
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cserháti
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003167:Complement Activation; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D009299:Nasal Provocation Tests; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012260:Ribonucleases; D012912:Sneezing / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D012260:Ribonucleases