title: Common vaccine antigens inhibit allergen-induced sensitization and airway hyperresponsiveness in a murine model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Co-vaccination with cellular pertussis vaccine down-regulates allergic sensitization to diphtheria and tetanus antigens. Using a murine model, we investigated whether vaccination with diphtheria/tetanus toxoids, administered separately or simultaneously with the whole cell vaccine of Bordetella pertussis, inhibits subsequent allergen-induced immune and inflammatory responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  BALB/c-mice were vaccinated intracutaneously with a combination of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids or a combination of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids with a whole cell vaccine of B. pertussis (three times, days -21 to -7) prior to systemic sensitization (days 1-14) and repeated airway challenges (days 28-30) with ovalbumin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with negative controls, systemic sensitization and airway allergen challenges induced high serum levels of allergen-specific IgE, predominant Th2-type cytokine production, airway inflammation and development of in vivo airway hyperreactivity. Vaccination with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids prior to sensitization suppressed IgE formation and development of eosinophilic airway inflammation. Co-vaccination with a whole cell pertussis vaccine inhibited allergen sensitization, airway inflammation and development of in vivo airway hyperreactivity. Prevention was due to an allergen-specific and general shift from a predominant Th2 towards a predominant Th1 immune response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vaccination with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids alone or in combination with whole cell pertussis vaccine prior to allergen sensitization prevented allergen-induced Th2 immune responses. Vaccine antigens may down-regulate allergic responses to a range of common allergens.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grüber
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gerhold
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: von Stuckrad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avagyan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quarcoo
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahrens
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wahn
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamelmann
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D022422:Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016207:Cytokines; D022422:Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine; D010047:Ovalbumin