Assuntos
Linfocitose/etiologia , Linfócitos T/patologia , Timoma/sangue , Timoma/secundário , Neoplasias do Timo/patologia , Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/secundário , Neoplasias Pulmonares/secundário , Timoma/complicações , Neoplasias do Timo/sangue , Neoplasias do Timo/complicações , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Regulatory T (Treg) cells and IgE-mediated signaling pathways could play important roles in the induction of allergen tolerance during house dust mite-specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (HDM-SCIT). Our aim was to compare the basal expression levels of Treg, T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 transcription factors and components involved in IgE-mediated signaling in healthy subjects with those in HDM-allergic patients both untreated and successfully treated with HDM-SCIT. METHODS: Thirty-nine HDM-allergic patients who completed a 3- to 5-year course of mite extract SCIT, 20 mite-allergic controls and 25 healthy controls participated in this study. The efficacy of SCIT was monitored using skin-prick tests (SPTs), total immunoglobulin E (tIgE), specific IgE (sIgE), sIgG(4), nasal challenge and visual analog scale (VAS) scores at several time points. The mRNA levels of forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3), T-BET, GATA-3, FcεRI, spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) and SH2 domain-containing inositol phosphatase (SHIP) were quantified by real-time RT-PCR using nonstimulated whole blood samples. RESULTS: Decreased wheal sizes and VAS scores, negative challenges and increased sIgG(4) levels indicated that SCIT was effective in the treated patients. Basal expression levels of FOXP3 and GATA-3 decreased and T-BET levels increased in both treated patients and in healthy controls compared to untreated patients. The IgE-mediated pathway kinases Syk and PI3K exhibited reduced expression, whereas SHIP phosphatase levels were elevated in both treated patients and healthy controls relative to untreated patients. The expression levels of FcεRI were not significantly altered. CONCLUSIONS: Immunotherapy using HDM extracts results in a modification of the basal expression levels of several IgE-related signaling factors and induces a highly significant upregulation of Th1-response and downregulation of Th2-response transcription factors. Interestingly, this therapy also appears to reduce the basal expression of FOXP3.
Assuntos
Alérgenos/imunologia , Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus/imunologia , Expressão Gênica/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade/genética , Hipersensibilidade/terapia , Imunoterapia , Adulto , Alérgenos/administração & dosagem , Animais , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Misturas Complexas/administração & dosagem , Misturas Complexas/imunologia , Feminino , Fatores de Transcrição Forkhead/genética , Fatores de Transcrição Forkhead/imunologia , Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Hipersensibilidade/imunologia , Imunoglobulina E/genética , Imunoglobulina E/imunologia , Inositol Polifosfato 5-Fosfatases , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/genética , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/imunologia , Masculino , Testes de Provocação Nasal , Monoéster Fosfórico Hidrolases/genética , Monoéster Fosfórico Hidrolases/imunologia , Proteínas Tirosina Quinases/genética , Proteínas Tirosina Quinases/imunologia , RNA Mensageiro/biossíntese , RNA Mensageiro/imunologia , Receptores de IgE/genética , Receptores de IgE/imunologia , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Transdução de Sinais/genética , Transdução de Sinais/imunologia , Testes Cutâneos , Quinase Syk , Proteínas com Domínio T/genética , Proteínas com Domínio T/imunologia , Linfócitos T Reguladores/efeitos dos fármacos , Linfócitos T Reguladores/imunologiaRESUMO
Allergic reactions to plant foodstuffs comprise a whole spectrum of clinical manifestations, from very mild ones, localized to oral mucosa, to the most severe including life-threatening anaphylactic shock. The reason is the presence of a few structurally and functionally different allergens in each foodstuff. On the other hand, the similarity between particular allergens in different foodstuffs and the presence of their homologues in other sources (pollens, insect venoms) give a lot of possibilities for cross-reactions during allergic sensitization. Apple has a significant place in human nutrition. However, it is also a fruit that most frequently causes allergic reactions. Apple allergens are well known and appropriately characterized, and their homologues are present in other vegetable foodstuffs. Thus, apple represents a good model of plant food hypersensitivity. The aim of this paper is to review the mechanisms of allergic sensitization, the types of clinical manifestations, the influence of allergen content variability, and the diagnostic and therapeutic issues connected with plant food allergy, using apple as a model.
Assuntos
Alérgenos , Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/diagnóstico , Malus/imunologia , Reações Cruzadas , Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/etiologia , Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade Alimentar/terapia , HumanosRESUMO
Most scientists believe that increasing number of people with allergic diseases may be connected with some aspects of the "Western lifestyle". This paper discusses data obtained from questionnaires originally designed by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Steering Committee concerning exposure to different environmental factors. The study included 1047 children. Allergic and non-allergic groups showed statistically significant differences in the attendance of kindergarten, vaccination against pertussis, pertussis infection, and parasite infestation. Exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and exposure to dampness and moulds also entailed a risk for allergy. We speculate that changing some conditions, such as use of carpets and use of feather pillows, were connected with the expression of allergic diseases. Some correlations were consistent with earlier observations of other authors, while others differed and need further confirmation on a larger sample.
