Immunotherapy with keyhole lampet hemocyanin-conjugated decapeptide vaccine in cypress pollen allergy.
BACKGROUND
Cupressaceae pollen allergy is a world-wide pollinosis but immunotherapy has rarely been tested. Immunotherapy is usually allergen-specific but new forms may be targeted towards IgE.


OBJECTIVE
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out to assess the efficacy of a vaccine made of keyhole lampet hemocyanin (KLH)-conjugated decapeptide from the Fc(epsilon4) domain of the IgE in cypress pollinosis.


METHODS
Sixty patients with cypress pollen allergy were studied. They were included on a suggestive clinical history, positive skin tests and nasal challenge to cypress pollen extract. Three intramuscular injections of the vaccine (250 microg) or placebo were administered monthly with a booster injection 5 to 8 weeks later. The primary end-point criterion was the threshold dose inducing a positive nasal challenge. The secondary end-point was the symptom-medication scores measured when cypress pollen grains were over 50 grains/m3.


RESULTS
Nasal challenge before treatment was non-significantly different between the placebo and vaccine groups. After treatment there was no significant difference between the two groups. Pollen counts were over 50 grains/m3 for 8 weeks during the trial. There was no significant difference in total symptom scores between the placebo and vaccine groups. The vaccine was safe.


CONCLUSIONS
The KLH-conjugated decapeptide vaccine was not effective in cypress pollen allergy.
Demoly
P
P
Maladies Respiratoires, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, Montpellier, France.
Persi
L
L
Dhivert
H
H
Delire
M
M
Bousquet
J
J
D000328:Adult; D029781:Cupressus / Q000276:immunology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000628:therapy*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000276:immunology*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D009842:Oligopeptides; D014612:Vaccines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin