The expression levels of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) from peripheral lymphocytes of the patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and the clinical implication were investigated. In the morning, 3 ml of fasting venous blood was taken out. The lymphocytes were isolated by using Ficoll-Hypaque and the expression of HSP70 in the lymphocytes was detected by using Western blot. In the AR patients the HSP70 level (41.49 +/- 15.77 integrated optical density, IOD) were significantly higher than that in the control group (23.89 +/- 10.13 IOD, P < 0.05). Western blot demonstrated that HSP70 bands in AR patients were more intensive than those in the control group. It was concluded that the elevated HSP70 level in peripheral lymphocytes of the AR patients might contribute to the development of AR.
Adult ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; biosynthesis ; blood ; genetics ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; blood

BACKGROUNDObjective evaluation of allergic rhinitis (AR) requires in vivo and in vitro tests. In vitro tests are important to assist or ensure the main allergens in multi-allergen-sensitive patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of serum specific IgE (sIgE) in the diagnosis of AR patients with multi-allergens in the Chinese population.

METHODSCombining a positive skin prick test (SPT) and clinical history as the diagnostic reference criteria of AR, we estimated concentrations of sIgE produced in response to the 7 most frequent allergens among 85 AR patients, using the UniCAP assay system.

RESULTSAmong 85 individuals with positive SPT results and allergen-specific nasal symptoms, sIgE concentration correlated well with SPT classes among all the tested allergens. Based on a clinical diagnosis and SPT results using a positive cut-off value of a class 1 score, the CAP test performed well and the sensitivity for different allergens ranged from 0.5 (giant ragweed) to 0.91 (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) and Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f), while specificity ranged from 0.93 (Der f) to 1.0 (animal hair, Der p and mugwort). When the cut-off score was adjusted to class 2, the sensitivity showed an increase overall while the remaining assessed items, including specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and efficiency, showed an unacceptable decline.

CONCLUSIONSWell-established serum sIgE tests correlated well with SPTs. Setting a class 1 cut-off for positivity of SPT results was better than a class 2 setting for assessing the AR diagnostic value.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Allergens ; immunology ; Animals ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; diagnosis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; diagnosis ; Skin Tests

There are increasing evidences that allergic rhinitis (AR) may influence the clinical course of asthma. We conducted methacholine challenge test and nasal eosinophils on nasal smear to patients with allergic rhinitis in order to investigate the mechanism of connecting upper and lower airway inflammation in 35 patients with AR during exacerbation. The methacholine concentration causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20) was used as thresholds of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). Thresholds of 25 mg/dL or less were assumed to indicate BHR. All patients had normal pulmonary function. Significant differences in BHR were detected in the comparison of patients with cough or postnasal drip and without cough or postnasal drip. There were significant differences of PC20 between patients with cough or postnasal drip and those without cough or postnasal drip (3.41 +/-3.59 mg/mL vs 10.2 +/-1.2 mg/mL, p=0.001). The levels of total IgE were higher in patients with seasonal AR than in patients with perennial AR with exacerbation (472.5 +/-132.5 IU/L vs. 389.0 +/-70.9 IU/L, p<0.05). Nasal eosinophils were closely related to log PC20 (r=-0.65, p<0.01). These findings demonstrated that nasal eosinophilic inflammation might contribute to BHR in patients with AR.
Adult ; Bronchi/*immunology ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity/*immunology ; Eosinophils/*immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/blood ; Inflammation ; Male ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial/*immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/*immunology ; Spirometry ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: To study the role of serum IL-10, 12, 13, 16 in patients with allergic rhinitis and vasomotor rhinitis. METHOD: The serum levels of IL-10, 12, 13, 16 were measured by ELISA in 30 cases of allergic rhinitis, 25 cases of vasomotor rhinitis and 20 healthy people. RESULT: The level of IL-12 in allergic rhinitis was (170.33 +/- 90.58) ng/L, which was significantly lower than that of normal controls [(376.69 +/- 140.70) ng/L, P < 0.01]. The levels of IL-13 and IL-16 in allergic rhinitis were (408.51 +/- 189.68) ng/L and (151.53 +/- 63.56) ng/L, which were significantly higher than those of normal controls [(151.92 +/- 85.08) ng/L, (60.65 +/- 32.45) ng/L, P < 0.01]. There were no significant difference of levels of IL-10, 13, 16 between vasomotor rhinitis and normal controls, while the level of IL-12 in vasomotor rhinitis was lower than that of normal controls [(196.03 +/- 96.31) ng/L vs. (376.69 +/- 140.70) ng/L, P < 0.01]. It was suggested that IL-10 had positive correlation with IL-12 (r = 0.73, P < 0.01), and IL-13 had positive correlation with IL-16 (r = 0.94, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The imbalance of IL-12, IL-13 and IL-16 play crucial roles of regulation in the onset and developing of allergic rhinitis. Further research is needed on the role of IL-12 in vasomotor rhinitis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; Interleukin-13 ; blood ; Interleukin-16 ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; blood ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; blood ; Rhinitis, Vasomotor ; blood ; Young Adult

The expression levels of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) from peripheral lymphocytes of the patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and the clinical implication were investigated. In the morning, 3 ml of fasting venous blood was taken out. The lymphocytes were isolated by using Ficoll-Hypaque and the expression of HSP70 in the lymphocytes was detected by using Western blot. In the AR patients the HSP70 level (41.49 +/- 15.77 integrated optical density, IOD) were significantly higher than that in the control group (23.89 +/- 10.13 IOD, P < 0.05). Western blot demonstrated that HSP70 bands in AR patients were more intensive than those in the control group. It was concluded that the elevated HSP70 level in peripheral lymphocytes of the AR patients might contribute to the development of AR.
Gene Expression Regulation ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins/*biosynthesis ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins/blood ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins/genetics ; Lymphocytes/*metabolism ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/*blood

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) reduces allergen specific IgE (sIgE) levels and achieves clinical and immunological tolerance by modulating innate and adaptive immunological responses. Increased temperature and CO2 concentrations caused by climate changes contribute to an increase of pollen count and allergenicity that influences clinical SIT outcomes. In this study, we investigated the changes of IgE binding components to tree and weed pollens in pollinosis patients who showed a paradoxical increase of serum sIgE level during pollen-SIT. We enrolled nine patients who showed an increasing pattern of serum sIgE level to alder, birch, ragweed and mugwort pollens by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. IgE immunoblot analysis confirmed the intensification or new generation of major IgE binding components that could be induced by climate change. The findings suggest that the regular monitoring of sIgE levels and symptom changes is required to improve the clinical outcomes of SIT in patients undergoing SIT for tree and weed pollens.
Adult ; Climate Change ; *Desensitization, Immunologic ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/*blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pollen/immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/*therapy ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo test the immunoglobulin free light chain (FLC) from nasal secretion(s) and serum of patients with allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis for the purpose of exploring the possible immunological mechanism.

METHODSSixty consecutive patients were selected between September and December in 2009, involving 30 patients with allergic rhinitis and 30 patients with non-allergic rhinitis, diagnosed by symptoms, signs, SPT and sIgE. Thirty volunteers was chosen as health control (HC). ELISA was used to detect the total IgE, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), mast cell tryptase (MCT), κFLC, λFLC in nasal secretion and serum. The data was statistically analyzed by SPSS 17.0 software.

RESULTSAccording to the VAS scores, the nasal symptoms of AR and NAR, including sneeze, nasal discharge, nasal obstruction and nasal itching were compared. There was no statistical difference (t value was 1.189, 0.741, 0.758, 0.797, respectively, P < 0.5); In serum, κFLC, λFLC, IgE, ECP & MCT were increased in NAR compared to HC (P < 0.05); λFLC was increased in NAR compared to AR group (P < 0.05), κFLC and ECP were increased in AR. There was no significant difference between AR and NAR (P < 0.05); In nasal secretion, κFLC, λFLC, IgE, ECP and MCT were increased in AR and NAR compared to HC, and the ECP and IgE were significantly increased in AR compared to NAR (P < 0.05). ; In nasal secretion, the FLCs revealed a significantly higher correlation with MCT (r value was 0.518 and 0.484, P < 0.01), and in serum revealed a significant correlation with ECP (r value was 0.343 and 0.342, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSImmunoglobulin free light chain takes part in the path of physiological process of allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis with the immunological mechanism.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Bodily Secretions ; immunology ; Case-Control Studies ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; blood ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin Light Chains ; blood ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nose ; immunology ; Rhinitis ; blood ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; blood ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; blood ; immunology ; Tryptases ; blood ; immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of T-bet mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as well as its relations with total IgE (TIgE), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in serum and nasal allergic symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR).

METHODSThe allergen, TIgE and ECP in serum of patients with AR were detected by Unicap CAP system. Blood sample was taken from 8 healthy individuals and 22 patients with allergic rhinitis. PBMC was isolated by density gradient centrifugation and one part of them was cultured with 50 microg/ml mite allergen. PBMC was subjected to analysis of T-bet mRNA expression using semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe ratio of T-bet to beta-actin mRNA levels was 0.381 +/- 0.099 in patients and 0.750 +/- 0.067 in normal individuals, the difference was significantly (P <0.01). The expression intensity of T-bet mRNA had no relation to varying severity of allergic symptoms and concentration of ECP and the correlation coefficient was 0.187 and -0.165 (all P > 0.05). However, there was an inverse correlation between expression intensity of T-bet mRNA and TIgE concentration (r = -0.525, P < 0.05). Mean mRNA level (x +/- s) of T-bet expression before and after being stimulated by allergen was 0.381 +/- 0.099 and 0.365 +/- 0.104 respectively, which indicated no significant differences (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAmong allergic patients whose allergen was mite, there was a down-regulated expression of T-bet mRNA, which had no relation to ECP concentration and allergic symptoms, but was one of important links in mechanisms of imbalance of Th1/Th2 in AR. There was no effect of specific allergen on T-bet mRNA in patients with AR T-bet was one of indirect factors that affected the level of IgE.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; blood ; T-Box Domain Proteins ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the expression of galectin-3 and galectin-9 in mice nasal mucosa,and to explore the role of galectin-3 and galectin-9 in allergic rhinitis (AR).

METHODSTwenty mice were randomly divided into AR group and control group, 10 mice in each group. Ten mice of BALB/c were sensitized intraperitoneally with 10 microg of ovalbumin(OVA) adsorbed onto 2 mg Al(OH)3 on day 1 and day 14. Mice was induced daily by intranasal daily administration of 10 microl of saline containing 100 microg of OVA from day 21 to day 28. OVA was replaced with saline in control group. Immunohistochemical staining was used to examine the expression of galectin-3 and galectin-9 in nasal mucosa. RT-PCR was performed to investigate the level of mRNA expression of complement galectin-3, galectin-9. The level of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma in peripheral blood were titrated by ELISA.

RESULTSGalectin-3 and galectin-9 were detected in both groups. Expression of galectin-3 and galectin-9 in group AR was higher than that in control group. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that the levels of galectin-3 and galectin-9 were positively correlated with the level of IL-4 and IL-5, but negatively correlated with the level of IFN-gamma.

CONCLUSIONSGalectin-3 and galectin-9 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.

Animals ; Female ; Galectin 3 ; metabolism ; Galectins ; metabolism ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Interleukin-5 ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nasal Mucosa ; metabolism ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of garlicin on the levels of interferon gamma (INF-gamma) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) in blood of allergic rhinitis rat model.

METHODSThirty healthy female SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group, negative control group and experimental group, 10 rats for each group. Ten rats (experimental group) were sensitized and intranasally challenged by ovalbumin, aluminium hydroxide hydrate gel and Bordetella pertussis inactive microorganism suspension adjuvants, as allergic rhinitis models, and then injection of garlicin(0.4 ml) intraperitoneally per day for 10 days. Control group rats were immunized as experimental group, and then injection of physiological saline as equal volume as garlicin. Negative control group rats were investigated using physiological saline. Blood of intrajugular vein of rat was extracted for separated plasma Enzyme liked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilized to detect the serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-gamma.

RESULTSThe serum levels (x +/- s) of IL4 were (22.81 +/- 8.79) pg/L, (41.43 +/- 4.93) pg/L, (9.93 +/- 2.07) pg/L, and those of IFN-gamma were (22.32 +/- 11.20) pg/L, (11.35 +/- 2.45) pg/L and (21.69 +/- 5.93) pg/L, respectively, among experimental group, control group and negative control group. The serum level of IL-4 in experimental group rats was lower than value of control group rats (t = 3.22, P < 0.05), while higher than negative control group (t = 4.17, P < 0.05). The serum level of IFN-gamma was increased significantly in experimental group rats with significant difference when compared with value of control group rats (t = 3.84, P < 0.05), while no difference was shown between experimental group and negative control group (t = 1.47, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSGarlicin could increase serum level of INF-gamma and decrease serum level of IL4 significantly in allergic rhinitis rat model. It played an important role on regulating serum levels of cytokines of Thl and Th2.

Allyl Compounds ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disulfides ; pharmacology ; Female ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; blood ; Th1 Cells ; drug effects ; Th2 Cells ; drug effects