title: Allergen-specific in vitro cytokine production in adult patients with eosinophilic esophagitis.
abstract: Although the pathogenesis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) likely involves hypersensitivity reactions against exogenous allergens, allergen-specific cellular immune responses have not been studied. We investigated allergen-induced cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in adult patients with EE (n=15) and healthy controls (HC; n=9). PBMCs were incubated with nine common food and environmental allergens or a nonspecific mitogen, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-10, IL-13, and interferon-gamma in the cell-free supernatants were determined. Spontaneous and mitogen-stimulated cytokine production did not differ between EE and HC. House dust mite, ragweed, Aspergillus, milk, and soy induced significantly higher IL-5 production in EE (P < 0.05). House dust mite also augmented IL-13 production in EE (P < 0.05). Furthermore, PBMCs from three EE patients without allergen-specific IgE vigorously produced IL-5 and IL-13 on allergen stimulation. Thus, immune responses in EE are characterized by enhanced production of Th2-like cytokines against both food and environmental allergens.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergic Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Amindra S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Jeffery A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Smyrk
authors.forename: Joseph H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Butterfield
authors.forename: Hirohito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004802:Eosinophilia; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007378:Interleukins; D016753:Interleukin-10