Specific immunoglobulin E, interleukin-4, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in sera in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis

This study included 23 nonatopic volunteers and 84 patients with seasonal a llergic rhinitis due to Japanese cedar pollen. Serum interleukin-4 (IL-4) a nd soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) in the patients were significantly higher than those in the nonatopic individuals, even outside of the pollen season. Both the good responders and the poor responders to antihistamine tablets showed significant increases in IL-4 and specific IgE during the pollen season, whereas such seasonal increases were not observe d in the good responders to immunotherapy. Seasonal increases in IL-4 were significantly correlated with those of specific IgE. However, seasonal incr eases in sVCAM-1 were not significant. Seasonal increases in sVCAM-1 were n ot significantly differ ent between the good responders and the poor respon ders to pharmacotherapy or immunotherapy. In conclusion, serum IL-4 and sVC AM-1 are increased in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis, even outsid e of the pollen season; this finding might suggest underlying preponderant in vivo activation of T helper cell-2-1ike cells and inflammatory events in seasonal allergic rhinitis. A seasonal increase in IL-4 in sera might be a t least partly involved in the seasonal increase in specific IgE in sera. I mmunotherapy's inhibitory effect on IL-4 production and specific IgE respon se might be one of its working mechanisms.