Cytokines and adhesion molecules in duodenal mucosa of children with delayed-type food allergy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate the expression of cytokines, adhesion molecules, and activation and proliferation markers in duodenal biopsies from children with delayed-type food allergy (FA).


METHODS
Seven children with untreated FA (uFA), seven children with treated FA (tFA) to cow milk and/or cereals, and five normal controls furnished duodenal biopsy specimens. Additionally, five pediatric patients with celiac disease were included, serving exclusively as positive controls for in situ hybridization. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-4 (IL-4), adhesion molecules, and activation markers were detected by immunohistochemistry, and expression of IFN-gamma and IL-4 messenger RNA was revealed by in situ hybridization.


RESULTS
uFA patients had a higher density of IFN-gamma positive cells in the lamina propria than did tFA patients and controls (P = 0.053 and P = 0.018). Moreover, the uFA patients exhibited a higher proportion of crypt cells in mitosis than did tFA patients (P = 0.026), and stronger staining of HLA-DR in the crypts and increased density of gammadelta-T cell receptor-positive intraepithelial lymphocytes than did controls (P = 0.048 and P = 0.010). The densities of alpha(4)beta(7) positive cells in the lamina propria tended to be higher in controls than in uFA or tFA patients (P = 0.106, P = 0.073). Expression of IL-4 mRNA was significantly higher in celiac patients than in the other study groups (uFA P = 0.006, tFA P = 0.010; controls P = 0.029), and celiac patients showed higher expression of IFN-gamma mRNA than did tFA patients or controls (P = 0.017 and P = 0.016).


CONCLUSIONS
As expected, Th1 dominance was present in the lamina propria of children with delayed-type FA. It may cause activation of epithelial cells and increase their turnover.
Veres
Gabor
G
Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Westerholm-Ormio
Mia
M
Kokkonen
Jorma
J
Arato
Andras
A
Savilahti
Erkki
E
D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D004386:Duodenum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma