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Karger Publishers, International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 2(167), p. 137-145, 2015

DOI: 10.1159/000437325

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Japanese Cedar Pollen-Based Subcutaneous Immunotherapy Decreases Tomato Fruit-Specific Basophil Activation

This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Some patients with Japanese cedar pollen (JCP)-induced allergic rhinitis develop pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS) as a reaction to tomato fruit. Pollen allergen-specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is reportedly beneficial for some associated food allergies; however, the reported changes in food allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E and IgG<sub>4</sub> levels are inconsistent. Here, we investigated immunologic reactivity to tomato fruit after JCP-based SCIT. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Twenty-three children (aged 6-17 years) with JCP-induced allergic rhinitis and sensitized to tomato (serum tomato fruit-specific IgE level >0.34 UA/ml) received JCP-based SCIT. Basophil activation by tomato and JCP extracts and serum-specific IgE and IgG<sub>4</sub> levels against these allergens were determined before and after 4 or 5 months of maintenance SCIT. Basophil activation was assessed by monitoring CD203c upregulation on flow cytometry. <b><i>Results:</i></b> JCP-based SCIT significantly reduced the basophil activation caused by tomato fruit (p = 0.03) and JCP (p < 0.001) extracts. JCP-specific IgG<sub>4</sub> levels markedly increased after SCIT (p < 0.001), whereas tomato fruit-specific IgG<sub>4</sub> levels did not. After SCIT, no significant changes were observed in specific IgE levels for tomato fruit (p = 0.11) or JCP (p = 0.19). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Tomato fruit-specific basophil activation decreases after JCP-based SCIT, suggesting that it is efficacious in relieving and preventing the symptoms of PFAS in patients with JCP-induced allergic rhinitis.