title: Hypoallergenic fragment of Par j 2 increases functional expression of Toll-like receptors in atopic children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parietaria judaica (Par j) is one of the main causes of allergy in the Mediterranean countries. The activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhibits nasal inflammation of atopic children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine, in vivo and in vitro, the effect of recombinant Par j 2 (rPar j 2) and of its fragments (1-55 and 52-102) on atopic children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used skin prick test for in vivo evaluations. We assessed, in vitro, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), the effect of rPar j 2 and of the two fragments on neutrophil chemotaxis, on CD45RO, on TLR2 and TLR4 expression, on LPS binding and on interferon (IFN)-gamma release, by a microchemotaxis chamber, by flow cytometry and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vivo while rPar j 2 induced a positive skin reaction, 1-55 and 52-102 fragments did not. In vitro, while rPar j 2 increased both CD45RO expression and neutrophils chemotaxis in PBMC, both Par j 2 fragments did not. 1-55 fragment of Par j 2 upregulated both TLR2 and TLR4 expression and LPS binding, while the rPar j 2 and 52-102 fragment did not. Finally, 1-55 fragment of Par j 2 induced IFNgamma release, while the rPar j 2 and 52-102 fragment did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypoallergenic 1-55 fragment, upregulating innate immunity receptors and increasing IFNgamma, might re-orientate, in atopics, the immune system toward a physiologic balance between Th1 and Th2 responses.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Grutta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bousquet
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bonsignore
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gjomarkaj
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; C506384:Par j 2 allergen, Parietaria; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010940:Plant Proteins; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors