Ohashi Y, Nakai Y, Tanaka A, Kakinoki Y, Masamoto T, Kato A, Washio Y, Yamada K, Hayashi M, Ohmoto Y
Department of Otolaryngology, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
Scand J Immunol. 1998 Jun;47(6):596-602. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3083.1998.00337.x.
Some individuals with detectable levels of Japanese cedar (Criptomeria japonica) pollen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E in serum have no apparent nasal symptoms during the pollen season. The response of CD4+ T-helper (Th) cells to the pollen allergen might differ fundamentally between asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals who are already sensitized to the pollen. The aim of this study was to discern the possible differences in responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to the pollen allergen between asymptomatic and symptomatic subjects who have been sensitized to the pollen. This study included 20 non-atopic healthy volunteers (non-atopic group) and 48 patients who had detectable levels of the pollen-specific IgE before the pollen season in 1997. In the review of nasal symptoms during the pollen season 1997, 24 patients had typical symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis (symptomatic group), and the remainder had no seasonal aggravation of nasal symptoms (asymptomatic group). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (1.0 x 10(7) cells/well) were obtained from each individual during the pollen season and cultured in the absence or presence of 12.5 microg of Cry j 1 for 4 days. The concentrations of IgE, interleukin-5 (IL-5), and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the culture supernatants were measured. The levels of IgE produced by Cry j 1-stimulated PBMCs of the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups were significantly higher than those of the non-atopic group, but did not differ between the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups. The levels of IL-5 produced by Cry j 1-stimulated PBMCs did not differ significantly between the non-atopic group and the asymptomatic group, but the levels of IL-5 were significantly higher in the symptomatic group than in the asymptomatic group as well as the non-atopic group. The levels of IFN-gamma produced by Cry j 1-stimulated PBMCs did not differ significantly among the three groups. In conclusion, our study has suggested that Japanese cedar pollen-induced synthesis of IL-5, but not of IgE or IFN-gamma, is likely to be a key mechanism linked to the symptomatic episode of seasonal allergic rhinitis in individuals sensitized to the pollen.
一些血清中可检测到日本柳杉花粉特异性免疫球蛋白（Ig）E水平的个体在花粉季节并无明显的鼻部症状。对于花粉已致敏的无症状个体和有症状个体，CD4 +辅助性T（Th）细胞对花粉过敏原的反应可能存在根本差异。本研究的目的是辨别已对花粉致敏的无症状和有症状受试者外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）对花粉过敏原反应的可能差异。本研究纳入了20名非特应性健康志愿者（非特应性组）和48名在1997年花粉季节前花粉特异性IgE水平可检测到的患者。在回顾1997年花粉季节的鼻部症状时，24名患者有季节性变应性鼻炎的典型症状（有症状组），其余患者无鼻部症状的季节性加重（无症状组）。在花粉季节从每个个体获取外周血单个核细胞（1.0×10⁷个细胞/孔），并在不存在或存在12.5μg柳杉花粉蛋白1（Cry j 1）的情况下培养4天。测量培养上清液中IgE、白细胞介素-5（IL-5）和干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）的浓度。无症状组和有症状组经Cry j 1刺激的PBMC产生的IgE水平显著高于非特应性组，但无症状组和有症状组之间无差异。非特应性组和无症状组经Cry j 1刺激的PBMC产生的IL-5水平无显著差异，但有症状组的IL-5水平显著高于无症状组和非特应性组。三组经Cry j 1刺激的PBMC产生的IFN-γ水平无显著差异。总之，我们的研究表明，日本柳杉花粉诱导的IL-5合成，而非IgE或IFN-γ的合成可能是与对花粉致敏个体季节性变应性鼻炎症状发作相关的关键机制。
