Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Insect venom immunotherapy induces interleukin-10 production and a Th2-to-Th1 shift, and changes surface marker expression in venom-allergic subjects.
Eur J Immunol. 1997 May;27(5):1131-9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/97317589 Bellinghausen I; Metz G; Enk AH; Christmann S; Knop J; Saloga J; Department of Dermatology, University of Mainz, Germany.
Abstract:
The current study was carried out to elucidate the immunoregulatory changes induced by venom immunotherapy (VIT) in bee or wasp allergic subjects. All subjects included in this study had a history of severe systemic allergic reactions to stings of the respective insect as well as positive skin tests with the respective venom or venom-specific IgE in the sera. Parameters assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) before and after initiation of VIT (rush therapy reaching a maintenance dose of 100 micrograms venom injected subcutaneously within 1 week) were expression of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RA, CD45RO, interleukin (IL)-2 receptor (R) alpha, IL-4R, IL-12R, Fc epsilon RII, CD40, and CD40 ligand (CD40L), cells producing interferon IFN)-gamma and IL-10 after stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate + ionomycin in the presence of monensin measured by flow cytometry; secretion of IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10 measured by ELISA (IFN-gamma and IL-10 were additionally measured by PCR), and proliferation after stimulation with the respective venom. Significant decreases were observed after VIT for proliferative response to venom and venom + IL-4, IL-4 secretion, Fc epsilon RII, CD40, and CD40L expression. Significant increases were observed after VIT for IFN-gamma concerning the amount secreted and the number of producing cells, and IL-10, IL-10 was mainly produced by CD4+ cells that were negative for IFN-gamma, but some double-positive (IL-10 and IFN-gamma) cells were always detected. Addition of blocking anti-IL-10 antibodies, but not isotype control antibodies, prevented down-regulation of proliferation but not IL-4 secretion) and further enhanced IFN-gamma secretion after VIT. These data indicate that in insect venom allergic subjects, VIT not only induces a rapid shift in cytokine expression from Th2 to Th1 cytokines, but also leads to induction of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10, which may be important for the limitation of potentially harmful allergen-specific Th1 responses. The described changes in cytokine expression may be responsible for subsequent increases in allergen-specific IgG and decreases in IgE production, as well as suppressive activity observed in earlier studies.
Keywords: *Allergens/PHARMACOLOGY *Antigens, Surface/BIOSYNTHESIS *Bee Venoms/PHARMACOLOGY *Insect Bites and Stings/THERAPY *Interleukin-10/BIOSYNTHESIS *Th1 Cells/IMMUNOLOGY *Th2 Cells/IMMUNOLOGY *Wasp Venoms/PHARMACOLOGY 970930
M9791357
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
