Role of Zinc Sulphate in Immune Regulation in Artemisia annua Pollen-challenged P815 Mastocytoma Cells.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the role of zinc sulphate in immune regulation in Artemisia annua pollen-challenged P815 mastocytoma cells. Methods P815 mastocytoma cells were treated with various concentrations of zinc sulphate and Artemisia annua pollen. Cell proliferation was measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8. The amount of ST2 and p38 in the cells were measured using Western blotting. The level of interleukins (IL)-33 in the supernatant was determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor were measured using the cytometric bead array. Results Artemisia annua pollen at a concentration >0.001 µg/mL induced allergic response in the P815 mastocytoma cells. Expressions of IL-33, IL-4, ST2, and p38 increased along with higher concentrations of Artemisia annua pollen. Zinc sulphate of 50-200 µmol/L promoted the proliferation of P815 mastocytoma cells. Zinc sulphate attenuated the upregulation of IL-33, IL-4, ST2, and p38 caused by Artemisia annua pollen. Conclusion Zinc sulphate can promote the proliferation of P815 mastocytoma cells. It can also attenuate allergic response in the P815 mastocytoma cells induced by Artemisia annua pollen, which might provide a new treatment method for allergic diseases.

Allergic sensitization in patients with rhinitis and bronchial asthma in Ningxia region of China.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma are common allergic diseases. The pattern of dominant allergens depends on the degree of urbanization and the geographic region. The present study characterized the allergens of patients with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma in Ningxia region of China. METHODS: A total of 309 patients were enrolled in this study. Western blotting assays were performed of the serum samples to evaluate allergen-specific IgE antibody for inhaled and ingested allergens. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the positive rate among different subgroups. RESULTS: Among the 309 patients, 221 of them had positive test results. There were 157 positive cases for ingested allergens and 174 positive cases for inhaled allergens. No significant differences in positive rates were found between the ingested and inhaled allergens. Among the inhaled allergens, Artemisia was the most frequent allergen, followed by fungi and dog hair. Cashew was the most common ingested allergen, followed by crab, mango, and beef. Further analysis showed no significant differences in positive rate between males and females. However, significant differences in positive rate of inhaled and ingested allergens were found between children (1-13 years old) and adults (above 18 years old) (P < .05), while no significant differences were found between the children and teenagers (14-18 years old). For the comparison between teenagers and adults, significant difference in positive rate was found only in the ingested allergen. CONCLUSION: This study provided the characteristics of allergens in Ningxia population, providing clinical and epidemiological data for prevention and treatment of the diseases in the region.