title: Clinical efficacy and immune regulation with peanut oral immunotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been thought to induce clinical desensitization to allergenic foods, but trials coupling the clinical response and immunologic effects of peanut OIT have not been reported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study objective was to investigate the clinical efficacy and immunologic changes associated with OIT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children with peanut allergy underwent an OIT protocol including initial day escalation, buildup, and maintenance phases, and then oral food challenge. Clinical response and immunologic changes were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 29 subjects who completed the protocol, 27 ingested 3.9 g peanut protein during food challenge. Most symptoms noted during OIT resolved spontaneously or with antihistamines. By 6 months, titrated skin prick tests and activation of basophils significantly declined. Peanut-specific IgE decreased by 12 to 18 months, whereas IgG(4) increased significantly. Serum factors inhibited IgE-peanut complex formation in an IgE-facilitated allergen binding assay. Secretion of IL-10, IL-5, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha from PBMCs increased over a period of 6 to 12 months. Peanut-specific forkhead box protein 3 T cells increased until 12 months and decreased thereafter. In addition, T-cell microarrays showed downregulation of genes in apoptotic pathways.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral immunotherapy induces clinical desensitization to peanut, with significant longer-term humoral and cellular changes. Microarray data suggest a novel role for apoptosis in OIT.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Ark, USA.
authors: Stacie M
authors: SM
authors: Jones
authors: Laurent
authors: L
authors: Pons
authors: Joseph L
authors: JL
authors: Roberts
authors: Amy M
authors: AM
authors: Scurlock
authors: Tamara T
authors: TT
authors: Perry
authors: Mike
authors: M
authors: Kulis
authors: Wayne G
authors: WG
authors: Shreffler
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Steele
authors: Karen A
authors: KA
authors: Henry
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Adair
authors: James M
authors: JM
authors: Francis
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Durham
authors: Brian P
authors: BP
authors: Vickery
authors: Xiaoping
authors: X
authors: Zhong
authors: A Wesley
authors: AW
authors: Burks
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017209:Apoptosis; D010367:Arachis / Q000276:immunology*; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D021183:Peanut Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012882:Skin Tests; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E