title: Clinical and immunological correlates of pre-co-seasonal sublingual immunotherapy with birch monomeric allergoid in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
abstract: Sublingual immunotherapy is safe and efficacious in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis. The clinical and biological efficacy of modified allergens (allergoids) has not been fully clarified. We investigated in birch allergic patients the effect of a pre-co-seasonal sublingual immunotherapy regimen with a modified allergen extract on clinical parameters and on T cell proliferation and regulatory cytokine production (IL-10, TGF-beta). We found that during the birch pollen season symptoms and drug usage scores were 30 and 40 percent improved, respectively, in treated versus control subjects (p<0.0001 for both comparisons) whereas well days were 23.5 (33 percent) versus 16.9 (23 percent) (p=0.0024), respectively. Bet v 1 allergen specific proliferation decreased (p = 0.0010), whereas IL-10 transcription increased (p=0.0010) in treated, but not in control patients. Moreover, TGF-beta transcription was increased, although not significantly (p=0.066), following immunotherapy. Thus, sublingual immunotherapy with modified allergen in birch-allergic subjects was safe, clinically efficacious and associated with the reduction of allergen-specific proliferation and with the increased production of the IL-10 regulatory cytokine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. s.burastero@hsr.it
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Burastero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mistrello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paolucci
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Breda
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roncarolo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zanotta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Falagiani
mesh_terms: D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000080384:Allergoids; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D029662:Betula / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000080384:Allergoids; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C508609:IL10 protein, human; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10