Fm. Lu et al., IMMUNOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING IMMUNOTHERAPY IN ASTHMATIC-CHILDREN - INCREASED IL-13 AND ALLERGEN-SPECIFIC IGG4 ANTIBODY-LEVELS, Annals of allergy, asthma, & immunology, 80(5), 1998, pp. 419-423
Background: The prevalence of allergic diseases such as asthma, allerg
ic rhinitis, and atopic diseases has increased in recent years. Immuno
therapy with allergens is a treatment documented to have an effect on
regulating cytokine production and allergen-specific antibody producti
on. Objective: The aim of this study was to further investigate immuno
logic changes during immunotherapy and to explore the possible more ef
ficient approach of immunotherapy. Methods: Asthmatic children receivi
ng house dust mite immunotherapy were followed to learn immunologic pa
rameters such as allergen-specific antibody levels, proliferative resp
onse of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and cytokine change during
immunotherapy. Results: The data suggested (1) IgG4 anti-mite antibod
y increased 8 months after immunotherapy while IgE antibody level rema
ined the same; (2) allergen-induced, in vitro production of certain cy
tokines such as IL-4 and IL-10 decreased after immunotherapy; (3) IL-1
3 (which can induce IgG4 and IgE antibody production by B cells) incre
ased after immunotherapy. Conclusion: Although this needs more study,
IL-13 might play an important role in the generation of IgG4-blocking
antibody during immunotherapy.