title: Interleukin-10 levels increase in cutaneous biopsies of patients undergoing wasp venom immunotherapy.
abstract: We have studied the influence of wasp venom immunotherapy (VIT) on cellular recruitment and cytokine mRNA expression during allergen-induced cutaneous late-phase responses (LPR). Nine subjects with a history of wasp sting anaphylaxis, and specific IgE in their sera underwent wasp VIT. Skin biopsies were taken 24 h after intradermal diluent and allergen before and after 3 months VIT. Pre-immunotherapy, there were significant allergen-induced increases in EG2(+) eosinophils, elastase(+) neutrophils, CD68(+) macrophages and IL-10 protein(+) cells, and increased expression of mRNA for IL-4, IL-13, IFN-gamma, IL-12, IL-10, TGF-beta, RANTES and eotaxin. When these allergen-induced changes in cytokine mRNA and cellular profiles were compared with those obtained after 3 months VIT there was a significant reduction in IL-4 mRNA (p=0.012) and increase in IL-10 protein(+) cells (p=0.004) with a trend to an increase in IL-10 mRNA (p=0.054). There were also significant reductions in eosinophils (p<0.004) and the size of the cutaneous LPR (p<0.01) but no change in mRNA to IFN-gamma, IL-13 or IL-12. Therefore, VIT is associated with a significant increase in cells positive for IL-10 protein but not IL-12 or IFN-gamma. These results suggest that induction of IL-10 may be important in VIT and occur independently of the switch to a Th1 phenotype. IL-10 generation may down-regulate IL-4 expression and eosinophil recruitment.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Cambridge Clinical School, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nasser
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kay
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Ewan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007167:Immunotherapy; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000628:therapy*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014862:Wasp Venoms / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014862:Wasp Venoms; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma