EARLY MODIFICATIONS OF CHEMOKINE PRODUCTION AND MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION DURING RUSH VENOM IMMUNOTHERAPY

The mechanism by which specific immunotherapy exerts its beneficial ef fect remains unclear. Chemokines are implicated in inflammatory and al lergic diseases, in particular via their ability to induce histamine r elease from basophils, a potential early target of rush venom immunoth erapy (RVIT), In this study, the authors evaluated es vivo regulated u pon activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), interleu kin 8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) production and mRNA expression hy mononuclear cells (MNC) from nine patients und ergoing a 3.5-h ultra rush treatment, before treatment at Day 0 (D0), at the end of the 3.5-h of the rush at Day 4h (D4h), at Day 15 (D15) a nd Day 45 (D45) after treatment. Increased RANTES release and mRNA exp ression,were observed in 24-h culture of peripheral blood MNC collecte d at D4h. This was followed by a decrease in the production of RANTES, IL-8 and MCP-1, 45 days after initiation of RVIT. The same pattern wa s observed after in vitro venom stimulation of MNC. At the mRNA level, similar profiles were observed except for IL-8 mRNA which inversely i ncreased during RVIT, These results suggest that RVIT is associated wi th a general decrease in chemokines which may explain, in part, the cl inical efficacy of specific immunotherapy. (C) 1998 Academic Press.