Serum IL-9 levels depend on allergen exposure: preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
Th9 is a new T cell subset characterized by interleukin 9 (IL-9) production. Serum IL-9 levels are related to symptom severity in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). This study aimed at investigating whether IL-9 may depend on allergen exposure.


METHODS
35 AR patients (16 males, mean age 33.2 years) with monosensitization to Parietaria were studied when symptomatic; 38 AR patients (22 males, mean age 30.9 years) with monosensitization to birch were recruited at the same time, but were symptom free. Serum IL-9 was assayed in all patients.


RESULTS
Patients with Parietaria allergy and exposed to allergen had higher serum IL-9 levels than patients with birch allergy and not exposed to allergen (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary study shows that serum IL-9 levels may depend on allergen exposure: symptomatic patients with pollen-induced AR, evaluated during the pollen season, have higher values than patients studied outside the pollen season and without symptoms.
Ciprandi
Giorgio
G
Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. gio.cip@libero.it
De Amici
Mara
M
Castellazzi
Anna Maria
AM
Tosca
Maria Angela
MA
Marseglia
Gianluigi
G
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016906:Interleukin-9 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D032403:Parietaria / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000485:Allergens; D016906:Interleukin-9