Peptide immunotherapy for allergic diseases using a rice-based edible vaccine.
OBJECTIVE
Plant pollens are the most common cause of seasonal allergic disease. The number of patients undergoing treatment for allergies to the pollen of Japanese cedar (major antigens: Cry j 1 and Cry j 2) has increased steadily each year. Integration of an effective, safe and inexpensive clinical program would be greatly improved by addressing deficiencies in systemically delivered immunotherapy.


RESULTS
We have demonstrated that feeding mice transgenic rice seeds accumulating the T-cell epitope peptides of Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 before systemic challenge with total protein of cedar pollen inhibits the development of allergen-specific IgE, IgG and CD4 T-cell proliferative responses. The levels of allergen-specific CD4 T-cell-derived allergy-associated T-helper 2 cytokine of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 and histamine release in serum were also significantly decreased. Moreover, clinical symptoms were inhibited in an experimental sneezing-mouse model.


CONCLUSIONS
Plant-based edible vaccine has been shown to be effective for treatment of Japanese cedar pollinosis. When rice seeds containing T-cell epitopes derived from cedar pollen allergens were orally administered to mice, immune tolerance leading to reduction of allergen-specific IgE, T-cell proliferative reaction and histamine could be induced, resulting in suppression of allergic-specific symptoms such as sneezing.
Hiroi
Takachika
T
Department of Allergy and Immunology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan.
Takaiwa
Fumio
F
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D032485:Cryptomeria / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006632:Histamine / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D012275:Oryza / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination; D022462:Vaccines, Edible / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C065290:Cry j I protein, Cryptomeria japonica; C065291:Cry j II protein, Cryptomeria japonica; D016207:Cytokines; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D010455:Peptides; D010940:Plant Proteins; D022462:Vaccines, Edible; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006632:Histamine