Absence of systemic immunologic changes during dose build-up phase and early maintenance period in effective specific sublingual immunotherapy in children.
BACKGROUND
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been reported to be a safe treatment for inhalant allergies in children. Yet the immunologic mechanisms resulting in clinical improvement are poorly understood.


OBJECTIVE
To identify early systemic immunologic changes during the first 8 weeks of clinically effective SLIT to grass pollen, tree pollen or house dust mite in paediatric patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma.


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and plasma samples of 13 children with reduced symptoms after 1 year of SLIT were obtained before therapy and at 2 and 8 weeks after the initiation of SLIT. Allergen-specific lymphocyte proliferation assays were performed, and allergen-induced cytokine production (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IFN-gamma, and TGF-beta(1)) was measured by ELISA and flow cytometry. Allergen-specific IgE, IgG1, IgG4, and IgA levels in plasma samples were determined in ELISA.


RESULTS
During the first 8 weeks of successful SLIT, allergen-specific lymphoproliferation (n=13) as well as levels of allergen-specific intracellular (n=8) and secreted cytokines (n=9) did not change significantly. In addition, no alterations in levels of allergen-specific Igs (n=7) were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
We could not find any early systemic immunologic changes during the first 8 weeks of clinically effective SLIT to inhalant allergens in paediatric patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma.
Dehlink
E
E
Department of Pediatrics and Juvenile Medicine and Department of Pathophysiology, Centre for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Eiwegger
T
T
Gerstmayr
M
M
Kampl
E
E
Bohle
B
B
Chen
K-W
KW
Vrtala
S
S
Urbanek
R
R
Szépfalusi
Z
Z
D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D029662:Betula; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D040002:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus / Q000276:immunology; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006109:Poaceae; D011058:Pollen; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C090396:PHLPI protein, Phleum pratense; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C451162:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus antigen p 1