Immunotherapy with Fel d 1 peptides decreases IL-4 release by peripheral blood T cells of patients allergic to cats

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 102; no. 4; pp. 571 - 578
• Main Authors: Pène, Jérôme, Desroches, Anne, Paradis, Louis, Lebel, Bernard, Farce a, Martine, Nicodemus, Christopher F., Yssel, Hans, Bousquet, Jean
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01-10-1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; allergens; Allergens - therapeutic use; Allergic diseases; Animals; Basophils - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Cats; Desensitization, Immunologic; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Female; Glycoproteins - administration & dosage; Glycoproteins - therapeutic use; Humans; Immunoglobulin E - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Immunopathology; Interferon-gamma - blood; Interleukin-4 - blood; Medical sciences; peptides; Respiratory and ent allergic diseases; T h1 /T h2 , allergy; T-cell cytokines; T-cell epitopes; T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; PMA; BPT; T h1 /T h2 , allergy; peptides; T-cell epitopes; A23187; T-cell cytokines; allergens; Human; Fissipedia; Immunopathology; Allergy; Carnivora; Desensitization; Cytokine; Bronchus; Biosynthesis; Vertebrata; Interleukin 4; Mammalia; Treatment; Animal; Immunotherapy; Cat; T-Lymphocyte; Provocation test
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/S0091-6749(98)70294-5

Background: Cells producing a T
h2 -cytokine profile play an important role in the onset and maintenance of atopic diseases, and therefore specific immunotherapy is aimed to induce a switch to cells producing a T
h1 - or T
h0 -cytokine profile. Recently, a novel form of immunotherapy making use of synthetic peptides from the major cat allergen Fel d 1 has been developed, but its mechanisms of action are unknown. Objectives: We examined the effects of immunotherapy with Fel d 1 peptides on the response to bronchial provocation tests (PD
20 FEV
1 ) with a standardized Fel d 1 cat extract on Fel d 1–specific serum IgE and IgG levels and in vitro IL-4 and IFN-γ production. Methods: Patients allergic to cats received 6 weekly injections of 7.5 μg (low dose), 75 μg (medium dose), or 750 μg (high dose) of Fel d 1 peptides (25 patients) or a placebo (6 patients). Results: Six weeks after ending immunotherapy, posttreatment PD
20 FEV
1 was not significantly different between the treated and placebo groups. However, in the medium- and high-dose groups there was a significant improvement between baseline and posttreatment days. IL-4 release was significantly reduced in the high dose–treated group (P < .005, Wilcoxon W test), whereas it was unchanged in the low or medium dose– and in the placebo-treated groups. In all groups, IFN-γ, IgE, and IgG levels remained unchanged. Conclusion: There was no correlation between the improvement of PD
20 FEV
1 and the decrease in IL-4 production. These data suggest that peptide immunotherapy may act by shifting the Fel d 1–induced response of PBMCs in vitro from the T
h2 -like to the T
h0 -like phenotype. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998;102:571-8.)