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Several allergen-specific plasma proteins, such as IgE and IgG subclasses, are commonly used for the evaluation of grade of allergy. In the present investigation, we compared the concentration of various nonspecific plasma proteins, mostly known as inflammation markers, in an allergic and a healthy population. Plasma from 130 children with single inhalation allergies to grass pollen, birch pollen, or house dust mites as well as from 42 healthy children was obtained during the symptom-free period. Patients showed symptoms including allergic rhinitis, dermatitis, and asthma with one single radioallergosorbent test (RAST) class 3 or higher. Plasma concentrations of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1), soluble interleukin-2 receptor(sIL-2R), sE-selectin, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (1sVCAM-1) were analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Concentrations of sICAM-1 and sE-selectin were significantly increased in all patients compared to controls. In the single allergen groups, sICAM-1 elevation was significant in the grass and mite groups, but not in the birch group; while sE-selection increase was significant in the birch and mite groups, but not in the grass group. The elevation of sIL-2R in the allergic patients was obvious in each single allergen group, but not significant. No difference was observed in sVCAM-1 expression. In two groups of patients with mean age of 9.5 years versus 17.5 years, the analyzed parameters were not age dependent. The increased proteins may be useful as additional markers for efficacy and follow-up investigations of allergy therapies.

Background: Cytokines play an important role in mediating immunoglobulin switch, the secretion of protective mucosal immunoglobulins, and the development of allergic diseases. This study investigates whether B cells from allergic and healthy children have different capacities to secrete immunoglobulins after stimulation with IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-11, and IL13., Methods: We analyzed the peripheral venous blood of 44 healthy probands and of 109 allergic patients with a mean age of 13 years, allergic to grass pollen, birch pollen, and house dust mites. Lymphocytes were isolated by a density gradient and B cells were enriched by using a Magnetic Activated Cell Separator (MACS) and anti-CD19 microbeads. B Cells were co-cultured with human CDw32 (Fc gammaRII) expressing mouse Ltk fibroblasts and mouse anti-human CD40 monoclonal antibodies (CD40 system). The interleukins IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-11, and IL-13 were supplemented in various combinations. After 14 days, concentrations of IgE, IgG, IgA, and IgM were measured in the supernatants with ELISA., Results: Suppression of IgA-, IgG, and IgM- synthesis was induced by stimulation of B cells with IL-4. After additional application of IL-10, IgA, IgG, and IgM synthesis was significantly increased. When cultures stimulated with IL-4 were additionally supplemented with IL-10, IgA, and IgG synthesis of B cells obtained from allergic individuals was significantly decreased compared to nonallergic individuals. IgE-secretion of B cells from allergic individuals was significantly increased compared to nonallergic individuals after stimulation with IL-4., Conclusion: Our results implicate that IL-4 is essential for the regulation of immunoglobulin class switch to IgE and that IL-4 is an important cytokine for the development of allergic diseases. The capacity of B cells in allergic children to produce less IgA and IgG in response to additional stimulation with IL-10 of cultures supplemented with IL-4 could play an important role in mediating a mucosal immune system vulnerable to allergens. This phenomenon could contribute to the pathogenesis of allergic diseases.

The aim of the investigation was to study the influence of human choriocarcinoma cell culture supernatants (HCS) on the expression of lymphocyte surface molecules. Lymphocytes were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin in culture medium supplemented with 50% HCS. After 12 h and 60 h, fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis was performed with specific monoclonal antibodies. After 12 h of incubation, the cell surface expression of the classical activation markers CD25, CD69, CD71, CD134 and CD3/HLA-DR, as well as of the apoptosis marker CD95 were significantly suppressed by HCS. Qualitatively similar results were obtained after 60 h. It was concluded that choriocarcinoma-induced suppression might be related to a nearly complete block in the cell cycle at early activation steps. The clinical and biological relevance of this phenomenon for the maternal-fetal tolerance are briefly discussed.

The case of a 29-year-old Caucasian woman with 45 X0 karyotype, known as Turner's syndrome, and a recently diagnosed selective T-cell deficiency is reported. The main clinical features of the patient were recurrent sinopulmonary infections and a negative skin test with seven common recall antigens. Laboratory findings included lymphocytopenia, highly elevated CD45RA/CD45R0 ratio, as well as reduced expression of the co-stimulatory molecules CD154, CD86, CD80 and CD28 on CD4+ cells in combination with disturbed lymphocyte transformation in vitro. Markedly decreased levels of interleukin (IL)-2R, both on lymphocyte surface as well as the soluble analog, suggest a new form of x-linked immunodeficiency associated with Turner's syndrome.

The interaction of the CD154 molecule (CD40 ligand, gp39) on activated T-cells with the CD40 antigen on B-cells seems to play a key role in immunoglobulin class switching. We aimed to compare the capacity of intracellular CD154 expression after nonspecific stimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and ionomycin on separated T-cells from allergic patients and healthy donors. We analyzed blood from 104 patients allergic to grass pollen, house dust mites or birch pollen, and from 44 healthy donors. Lymphocytes were isolated using a density gradient and B-cells were extracted by magnet-activated cell separation (MACS) using anti-CD19 microbeads. Cells were nonspecifically stimulated for 5 h, permeabilized and stained with anti-CD154 for fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. It was found that stimulation induced a 1.4% increase of intracellular CD154+ T-cells; a 4.6% increase of mean channel fluorescence of all T-cells from healthy donors; a 6.1% increase in intracellular CD154+ T-cells; and a 28.1% increase of mean channel fluorescence of all T-cells from allergic patients. The data demonstrated an elevated capability of B-cell independent CD154 synthesis in T-cells from allergic patients when compared to healthy individuals. It is possible that the enhanced IgE production of B-cells from allergic patients might be partly due to the phenomena described.