Report summarizes allergies study findings from Karolinska University
2007 OCT 30 -- "'CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells and the cytokines IL-10 or TGF-beta play key roles in the maintenance of T cell homeostasis and tolerance to infectious and non-infectious antigens such as allergens. To investigate the regulation of immune responses to birch pollen allergen compared with influenza antigen by Treg cells obtained from birch pollen-allergic patients and non-allergic controls," investigators in Stockholm, Sweden report. "Peripheral blood was collected from 10 birch pollen-allergic patients and 10 non-allergic healthy controls. CD4(+)CD25(+) and CD4(+)CD25(-) cells isolated by magnetic-activated cell sorting were co-cultured and stimulated with birch pollen extract or influenza vaccine in the absence or presence of anti-IL-10 or soluble TGF-beta RII. CD4(+)CD25(+) cells from non-allergic controls were able to suppress influenza antigen and birch pollen stimulated effector cell proliferation, whereas CD4(+)CD25(+) cells from allergic patients suppressed influenza antigen-, but not birch pollen-stimulated proliferation. The production of Th1 cytokines, but not Th2 cytokines, was suppressed by CD4(+)CD25(+) cells from both allergic patients and controls, upon stimulation with birch pollen extract. Neutralization of IL-10 led to significantly increased production of IFN-gamma in cultures with CD4(+)CD25(-) T effector cells. In addition, six-fold higher concentrations of TNF-alpha were detected after neutralization of IL-10 in both CD4(+)CD25(-) and CD4(+)CD25(+) cell cultures from allergic patients and controls. We demonstrate that the allergen-specific suppressive function of CD4(+)CD25(+) cells from allergic patients is impaired compared with non-allergic controls," wrote S. Thunberg and colleagues, Karolinska University. The researchers concluded: "Moreover, neutralization of IL-10 enhances the production of TNF-alpha, suggesting counter-acting properties of IL-10 and TNF-alpha, where IL-10 promotes tolerance and suppression by Treg cells and TNF-alpha promotes inflammatory responses." Thunberg and colleagues published their study in Clinical and Experimental Allergy (Immune regulation by CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells and interleukin-10 in birch pollen-allergic patients and non-allergic controls. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 2007;37(8):1127-1136). For additional information, contact S. Thunberg, Karolinska University Hospital, Dept. of Medical, Allergy & Clinic Immunology Unit, S-17176 Stockholm, Sweden. The publisher of the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy can be contacted at: Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Rd., Oxford OX4 2DQ, Oxon, England. Keywords: Sweden, Stockholm, Allergen, Allergies, Allergy Medicine, Flu, Influenza, Karolinska University. This article was prepared by Virus Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Virus Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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