title: Increased IL-5 and IL-13 cytokine level in ex vivo stimulated whole blood cells from grass pollen allergic donors correlate with seasonal exposure.
abstract: There is a need for simple and physiological assays to characterize the immune status of allergic individuals. Whole blood samples from 15 adult subjects (10 with positive clinical history to grass pollen and 5 with negative clinical history) were obtained before the start (April 2010) and during the middle of the grass pollen season (June 2010). The investigators were blinded to the allergic status of the subjects. A skin prick test (SPT) to grass pollen was carried out at the end of the study. Cytokines (IL-5, IL-13, IL-10 and IFNγ) and activation of T-lymphocytes were determined after ex vivo culture of whole blood cells. IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13 cytokines were significantly elevated in allergic individuals during the middle of the season (p≤0.02) compared to the start. This assay can be a valuable tool in clinical trials especially in pediatric population where limited quantities of blood are available to study immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Allergy Group, Department of Nutrition & Health, Nestle Research Center, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anurag
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Allergy Group, Department of Nutrition & Health, Nestle Research Center, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holvoet
authors.affiliation: Allergy Group, Department of Nutrition & Health, Nestle Research Center, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marietta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Clinical Evaluation Group, Department of Bio-Analytical Science, Nestle Research Center, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beaumont
authors.affiliation: Allergy Group, Department of Nutrition & Health, Nestle Research Center, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Adrian W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Zuercher
authors.affiliation: Allergy Group, Department of Nutrition & Health, Nestle Research Center, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mercenier
keywords: Allergy; Grass pollen; IL-13; IL-5; Whole blood