title: Immunologic response to administration of standardized dog allergen extract at differing doses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The immunologic response to immunotherapy with dog extract is not well characterized.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the immunologic response to 3 doses of dog extract expressed as their Can f 1 content.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cluster immunotherapy was administered to 28 patients with dog allergy who were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment arms: placebo or acetone-precipitated extract containing 0.6 mug, 3.0 mug, or 15.0 mug Can f 1 per 0.5 mL maintenance dose. Studies included titrated skin prick tests, the late cutaneous response, titrated nasal challenge with dog extract, and serum allergen-specific IgE and IgG(4). Dog allergen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation was performed with measurement of secreted cytokines by ELISA and of intracellular cytokines by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant dose-dependent response in suppression of titrated skin prick tests and suppression of the late cutaneous response. There was a significant increase from baseline in dog-specific IgG(4) in both the high-dose and low-dose groups and a dose-dependent suppression of secreted TNF-alpha and increase in secreted TGF-beta. There was a dose-dependent trend in suppression of secreted IL-4 with a significant decrease from baseline in the high-dose group. There were no significant changes in symptom scores; lymphocyte proliferation; secreted IFN-gamma, IL-10, or IL-5; or intracellular cytokine production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dose-response in immunologic parameters after immunotherapy with dog extract is similar to that previously demonstrated with cat extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The greatest and most consistent response is seen with a dose containing 15 mug Can f 1.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, CO 80206, USA. lenta@njc.org
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lent
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harbeck
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strand
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sills
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Efaw
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lebo
authors.forename: Harold S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C091462:allergen Can f I; D015847:Interleukin-4