OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effects of AdCTLA4 Ig/Adα4β7-dendritic cell (DC) in the ovalbumin (OVA) allergic BALB/c mice.

METHODTwenty-four Female BALB/c mice aged 4-6 weeks fed on the ovalbumin-free feed were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) treatment group: the OVA sensitized mice were injected with tolerogenic AdCTLA4-Ig/Adα4β7-DC after being challenged with OVA. (2) negative control group: mice were sensitized and challenged with normal saline. (3) positive control group: mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA. The level of the OVA-specific IgE in serum was measured by ELISA. The jejunal samples were observed histologically after HE staining. The level of IL-10 and TGF-β in murine intestine was detected by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent methods, respectively.

RESULTCompared with the positive group, caudal vein injection with AdCTLA4Ig/Adα4β7-DC in treatment group reduced the level of the OVA-specific IgE in the serum remarkably, inhibited the inflammatory reactions of the intestine and increased the expression of the IL-10 in intestine significantly. There was no significant change in the expression of TGF-β in each group.

CONCLUSIONThis study demonstrated that caudal vein injection with tolerogenic AdTLA4Ig/Adα4β7-DC may be of potential research value in the treatment of food allergy by inducing immune tolerance in vivo.