[Relationship between pollen allergy and oral allergy syndrome].

We recently evaluated the relationship between pollen allergy and oral and pharyngeal hypersensitivity to fruits and vegetables (oral allergy syndrome) over 8 years (1995 approximately 2002) in Sapporo. 1. Of 843 patients with birch pollen (BP) allergy (CAP score 2 or more), 378 patients (37%) had episodes of oral allergy syndrome (OAS), and the rate in BP allergy was higher than in other allergies. 2. In patients with BP allergy, the most frequent foods causing OAS were apple, peach and cherry, followed by kiwi, pear, plum and melon. BP allergy patients demonstrated much more OAS with these foods than the patients without BP allergy. The higher the CAP score of BP, the higher the incidence of OAS to these foods was found to be. In patients with OAS and BP allergy, the higher the CAP score of BP, the higher the number of foods causing OAS was found to be. 3. In patients with BP allergy, a multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors affecting the rate of OAS. Positive factors were a high BP CAP score and being female. A negative factor was mite CAP positive. Furthermore, mugwort pollen (MP) CAP positive patients had much more OAS to kiwi and tomato than MP CAP negative patients.

[Oral allergy syndrome among patients with birch pollinosis in Sapporo].

We evaluated the relationships between oral and pharyngeal hypersensitivity to fruits and vegetables (oral allergy syndrome) and birch pollinosis in 2003 in Sapporo. 1. Of 153 patients with birch pollinosis (seasonal nasal or ocular symptom and CAP positive [birch pollen CAP score 2 or more]), 65 patients (42%) have episode of oral allergy syndrome (OAS). And that rate in 2003 was higher than in 1992 and was equal to in 1998. 2. Among birch pollinosis patients, the higher the CAP score of birch pollen, the higher the prevalences of OAS were found to be. 3. Among birch pollinosis patients, female have OAS much more than male. 4. Among birch pollinosis patients in 1998, patients who visited to ENT clinic for medical consultation of birch pollinosis in March and April have OAS much more than patients who visited in May and June.

Effects of cetirizine on substance P release in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

To evaluate the effect of cetirizine hydrochloride on substance P release in allergic rhinitis, we performed a single-blind placebo-controlled study of 14 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (7 treated with cetirizine and 7 with placebo). After an initial nasal allergen challenge with lavages, the subjects received treatment with placebo or cetirizine hydrochloride (10 mg by mouth daily) for 1 week, followed by the second nasal allergen challenge with lavages. The levels of albumin, histamine, and substance P in nasal lavages before and after allergen challenge were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pretreatment of subjects with cetirizine reduced the level of substance P induced by antigen challenge, but did not significantly reduce levels of histamine. These results suggest that cetirizine may reduce nasal neurogenic inflammation by modulating the release of substance P in allergic rhinitis.

[Relationship between birch pollen counts and meteorological factors for 8 years in Sapporo].

Occurrence of airborne pollen in Sapporo was studied for the 8 years between 1995 and 2002. Observations on pollen seasons of cedar, birch, grass, and mugwort are presented. There are wide year-to-year variations in quantities of birch pollens. Simple linear regression by the least squares method was used for studying correlations between annual quantities of birch pollen and the meteorological factors. A highly significant (P = 0.00004) positive correlation was found between precipitation in February of the preceding year and annual birch pollen concentrations with the coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.950. These results suggest that atmospheric birch pollen counts can be predicted from the meteorological factor in the preceding year.

Tumor necrosis factor increases MUC1 mRNA in cultured human nasal epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVE: Mucins are high molecular weight glycoproteins which are normally expressed on the surface of a variety of epithelia. It is possible that shedding of such molecules from the epithelium could play a role in preventing bacterial colonization at the mucosal surface. Immunohistochemical and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) analyses of human inferior turbinates have shown the existence of MUC1 mucin in nasal mucosa. However, the regulatory mechanisms of MUC1 mucin are poorly understood. In order to clarify the modulation of mucin gene expression, we developed a real-time semi-quantitative RT-PCR based on TaqMan fluorescence methodology to quantify MUC1 mRNA in primary cultured human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: HNECs were stimulated with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (20 pg/ml to 20 ng/ml) for specified time periods (0, 12, 24 and 48 h) and MUC1 mRNA was determined by means of semi-quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Significant increases in MUC1 gene expression in HNECs were initially detected at 12 h, peaking at 24 h after stimulation. TNF-mediated MUCI mRNA expression at 24 h was significantly inhibited by co-incubation with human recombinant soluble TNF receptor. CONCLUSIONS: TNF-mediated MUC1 gene expression may contribute to the pathogenesis of human inflammatory upper airway disorders. Also, our mucin mRNA real-time PCR provides a quantitative method for investigating the regulation of mucin gene expression in both healthy and diseased samples.