title: T cell responses to major peanut allergens in children with and without peanut allergy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  T cell responses involved in peanut allergy are poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate T cell responses towards major peanut allergens in peanut-allergic (PA) subjects compared with peanut-sensitized (PS) non-allergic children and non-atopic (NA) controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen PA children, seven non-allergic PS children and 11 NA adults were included. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with a crude peanut extract (CPE). Short-term T cell lines were generated and subsequently stimulated with CPE and purified Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3 and Ara h 6. The proliferation and production of IL-13, IFN-gamma, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proliferation to CPE and major allergens was enhanced in PA subjects. The primary response to CPE was comparable with PS subjects, with increased production of IL-13 and IFN-gamma compared with NA. Production of IL-10 was not observed. In short-term T cell lines, the response to CPE was stronger in PA than in PS and NA subjects. Only PA children had a detectable response to major peanut allergens, characterized by IL-13 production. The response was the highest after Ara h 3 stimulation, and the lowest after Ara h 2 stimulation. No significant correlation was observed between peanut-specific IgE levels and T cell responses to CPE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T cell responses to CPE in PA and PS children were characterized by Th1 and Th2 cytokines. Only PA children showed enhanced Th2 responses to Ara h 1, Ara h 3 and Ara h 6.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Dermatology/Allergology, UMC Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Flinterman
authors.forename: S G M A
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Pasmans
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: den Hartog Jager
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.forename: C A F M
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bruijnzeel-Koomen
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Knol
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Hoffen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology*; D010367:Arachis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D021183:Peanut Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D016207:Cytokines