title: Programmed vaccination may increase the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases has risen in recent decades. The etiology of asthma and allergic diseases has not been entirely elucidated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we investigated the possibility that programmed vaccination in China may have a potential role in asthma and allergic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this animal model, newborn BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups: vaccine plus ovalbumin (OVA), OVA, and control. The mice of vaccine plus OVA only group were inoculated with vaccines by following the National Vaccines Inoculation Program in China. Mice of vaccine plus OVA and OVA only groups were sensitized and challenged with OVA. Airway hyperresponsiveness was assessed by lung function and serum interleukin (IL) 4 and interferon (IFN) γ were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of lung function showed that mice of the vaccine plus OVA group exhibited an increase in enhanced pause (Penh) compared with that in the OVA group at methacholine concentrations of 6.25 and 12.5 mg/mL (p < 0.05). Serum IL-4 in the vaccine plus OVA group was higher than that in the OVA group (p < 0.01). The serum IFN-γ level in the OVA group was lower than that in the control group (p < 0.01), and also lower than that in the vaccine plus OVA group (p < 0.05). The ratio of IFN-γ to IL-4 both in the OVA and vaccine plus OVA group was lower than that in the control group (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of our study indicated that programmed vaccination in China may have a potential role in the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases by inducing T-helper 2 cytokine expression and may be responsible for the increasing prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Command, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhuang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Wen-Wu
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jian-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Zhong-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hai-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin