title: Cetirizine decreases interleukin-4, interleukin-5, and interferon-gamma gene expressions in nasal-associated lymphoid tissue of sensitized mice.
abstract: Although the action of cetirizine dihydrochloride (cetirizine), a potent histamine H1 receptor antagonist, has been well known, its effect on the cytokine profiles in the nasal immune inductive site has not been elucidated yet. We studied the effect of cetirizine on the cytokine profiles in the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT), which is a principal mucosal lymphoid tissue of the respiratory tract in rodents. Two different doses of cetirizine were given intraorally for 5 days before the nasal challenge of ovalbumin in sensitized mice. The sensitized group was given normal saline instead of cetirizine, and the nonsensitized group had no sensitization or medication. The cytokine gene expressions in the NALT taken from the mice were investigated with real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The effect of cetirizine on the allergic symptom score, histamine threshold, and the eosinophil count in the nasal septal mucosa were examined also. Compared with the normal mice, the sensitized mice showed significantly increased levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 gene expression although the increase of interferon (INF)-gamma gene expression was not significant. In the cetirizine groups, the levels of expression of IL-4, IL-5, and INF-gamma in the NALT were significantly decreased compared with the sensitized group. The cetirizine groups also showed decreased allergic symptom score, histamine threshold, and eosinophil count in the nasal septal mucosa compared with the sensitized group. In conclusion, cetirizine reduced the levels of expression of IL-4, IL-5, and INF-gamma in the NALT of ovalbumin-sensitized mice. Cetirizine also reduced the acute allergic symptom, histamine sensitivity, and eosinophil count in the nasal septal mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Korea.
authors.forename: Hong-Ryul
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Zensei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Shuichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000276:immunology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D017332:Cetirizine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects; D015870:Gene Expression; D006632:Histamine / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D010047:Ovalbumin; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011336:Probability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015848:Interleukin-5; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D006632:Histamine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin; D017332:Cetirizine