title: Production of interleukin-12 by monocytes and interferon-gamma by natural killer cells in allergic patients during rush immunotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergen specific immunotherapy modifies the immunologic response to allergen exposure; however, the role of cells composing the innate immune system, such as monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, in this mechanism is still unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of rush immunotherapy (RIT) on early allergen-induced cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from treated cat- and birch-allergic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve allergic patients received RIT, and another 4 served as controls. Blood samples were taken before the start and after 3 days, 1 week, 3 weeks, and 3 months of RIT. Allergen-induced production of interleukin-12 (IL-12) by monocytes and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by NK cells was evaluated by means of flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before the start of RIT, allergic patients had significantly lower numbers of IL-12+ monocytes compared with healthy subjects (P = .01). The percentage of IL-12+ monocytes increased after 3 months of RIT (P = .003). In the allergic control group, the proportion of IL-12+ monocytes evaluated after 3 months was not different from baseline and was significantly lower compared with that in the RIT group (P = .005). Before treatment, the percentage of IFN-gamma+ NK cells was lower in allergic patients than in healthy subjects (P = .04). The percentage of IFN-gamma+ NK cells increased after 3 weeks (P = .03) and 3 months (P = .01) of RIT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Restoration of the cytokine imbalance by immunotherapy is not only restricted to the cells of the adaptive immune system but also concerns cells composing the innate immune system.
authors.affiliation: Asthma and Allergy Research Group, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Plewako
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wosińska
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arvidsson
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Björkander
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Håkansson
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma