Sublingual immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis: subjective versus objective tools to evaluate its success.
Biomarkers that enable objective evaluation of the clinical effects of immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis have yet to be identified.



This study included 40 patients who were enrolled in a large randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study examining the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) using Japanese cedar (JC) pollen extract during two consecutive pollen seasons from 2010 to 2012. Based on changes in total nasal symptom medication score, patients in the SLIT and placebo groups were subdivided into two subgroups: good responders and poor responders. The levels of JC pollen-specific IL-10+Foxp3+ cells and specific Th2 cytokine-producing cells were measured and the association with the efficacy of SLIT was analysed.



The total nasal symptom medication score was significantly lower in the SLIT group compared with the placebo group. The number of JC pollen-specific Th2 cytokine-producing cells increased during the pollen season in the placebo group and in poor responders in the SLIT group; however, the increases were inhibited in the good responders in the SLIT group. The number of JC pollen-specific IL-10+Foxp3+ cells increased only in these good responders.



Changes in levels of allergen-specific Th2 cytokine-producing cells and IL-10+Foxp3+ cells could be objective biomarkers for SLIT.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Sakurai
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Yonekura
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Iinuma
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Sakurai
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Morimoto
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Y
Mita
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Arai
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Suzuki
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Okuma
Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
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S
Kaneko
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Y
Y
Okamoto
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D032485:Cryptomeria; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D063729:Sublingual Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D018417:Th1 Cells; D018418:Th2 Cells; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C508609:IL10 protein, human; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016753:Interleukin-10