title: Comparison of Timothy grass pollen extract- and single major allergen-induced gene expression and mediator release in airway epithelial cells: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Seasonal allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health problem and its prevalence has increased considerably in the last decades. As the allergic response with its clinical manifestations is triggered by only a few proteins within natural extracts, there is an increasing tendency for single-component-resolved diagnosis and immunotherapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  As natural exposure is not to single proteins, but to complex mixtures of molecules, we were interested in comparing the activation of respiratory epithelial cells induced by the purified major allergen Phl p 1 with the induction caused by a complete extract of Timothy grass pollen (GPE).
  
  
  METHODS
  NCI-H292 cells were exposed to GPE or Ph1 p 1 for 24 h, isolated RNA and cell culture supernatants were used for microarray analysis, multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and subsequent analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 262 genes that showed a GPE-induced change of at least 3-fold, whereas Ph1 p 1-stimulation resulted in 71 genes with a fold induction of more than 3-fold. Besides genes that were regulated by both stimuli, we also detected genes displaying an opposite response after stimulation, suggesting that GPE might be more than purified major allergens with regard to induced immune responses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional components within GPE and the resulting modulation of general processes affecting gene transcription and signalling pathways might be crucial to maintain/overcome the diseased phenotype and to induce the influx of cells contributing to late-phase allergic responses. When the initial process of sensitization is the matter of interest or late-phase allergic responses, one might miss important immune modulatory molecules and their interaction with allergens by applying single components only.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. K.I.Roschmann@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: K I L
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Röschmann
authors.forename: A-M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: van Kuijen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luiten
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jonker
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Breit
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Fokkens
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Drunen
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D031784:Phleum / Q000276:immunology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D010936:Plant Extracts