title: Effect of sublingual immunotherapy with grass monomeric allergoid on allergen-specific T-cell proliferation and interleukin 10 production.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is safe and efficacious in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis. Although favorable clinical effects have been observed with controlled trials as early as a few months since the beginning of treatment, few biological changes induced by SLIT have been demonstrated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate in grass-allergic patients the effect of a 2-month SLIT regimen, administered with a simplified protocol without up-dosing, on proliferation and production of cytokines characteristic of the regulatory T-cell phenotype (interleukin 10 [IL-10] and transforming growth factor beta [TGF-beta]) by allergen-specific T cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were recruited to the study in January 2006. SLIT was performed by self-administration and was continued for 60 days from February to April 2006. Eleven grass pollen-allergic patients with seasonal rhinitis were treated daily before the pollen season for 2 months with a modified allergen (monomeric allergoid) derived from a 3-grass pollen extract. Allergen-specific proliferation and production of IL-10 and TGF-beta were measured on peripheral blood mononuclear cells at baseline and treatment end. Tetanus toxoid served as the control antigen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After SLIT, allergen-specific (P = .002) but not tetanus toxoid-specific proliferation decreased, whereas IL-10 transcription increased (P < .001). TGB-beta transcription was also increased after treatment, although not statistically significantly (P = .06). Changes in proliferation to allergen and in IL-10 transcription were correlated (r = -0.82, P = .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A short-term course of SLIT with modified allergen in grass-allergic patients is associated with the reduction of allergen-specific proliferation and with the up-regulation of the IL-10 regulatory cytokine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. s.burastero@hsr.it
authors.forename: Samuele E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Burastero
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mistrello
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Falagiani
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paolucci
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Breda
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roncarolo
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zanotta
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monasterolo
authors.forename: Renato E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D000080384:Allergoids; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D006109:Poaceae / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000080384:Allergoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10