Japan Society for the Promotion of Science:Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Date (from‐to) : 2014/04 -2017/03
Author : NOMURA Takayasu; SAITOH Shinji; ITO Yasuhiko; OZEKI Kazuyoshi; SUZUKI Motohiko; NAKAMURA Yoshihisa; YOKOTA Makoto; TSUGE Ikuya
The contribution of antigen-specific TH cells in peripheral blood to immunologic mechanisms underlying sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) remains unclear. To clarify the role of antigen-specific TH cells, we used a sensitive method analyzing activation marker CD154-positive TH cells with multicolor flow cytometry. We assessed antigen-specific TH cells in patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis receiving SLIT at baseline and during the first pollen season after the initiation of SLIT. A total of 18 patients were enrolled in the present study. Of these, 8 patients received SLIT (SLIT group) and 10 patients received symptomatic treatment only (control group). Although seasonal pollen exposure significantly increased the number of Japanese cedar-specific interleukin 5- and interleukin 4-producing TH cells in the control group, SLIT ameliorated this increase in the SLIT group. The present study indicates that peripheral allergen-specific TH2 cells are involved in mechanisms underlying SLIT.