Food allergen (peanut)-specific TH2 clones generated from the peripheral blood of a patient with peanut allergy
article
Background: Increasing evidence indicates a prominent role of allergen-specific TH2 cells, with high IL-4 and IL-5 production and low interferon-γ production, in the regulation of IgE and eosinophil production in allergic disorders. However, most studies have concentrated on T cells reactive with inhalation allergens, whereas little is known about the properties of food allergen-reactive T cells. Objective: In this study we therefore characterized peanut-specific T cells, cloned from a patient with severe peanut allergy. Methods: Peripheral blood mononudear cells from patients with peanut allergy and nonallergic individuals were stimulated with crude peanut extract (CPE) to compare the proliferative responses and to select a suitable patient for the cloning of CPE-specific T cells. The resultant panel of CPE-reactive T-lymphocyte clones was serologically phenotyped by flow cytometty and analyzed for cytokine secretion by ELISA. Results: The patients' peripheral blood mononudear cells showed a dose-dependent proliferative response to CPE, which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in peripheral blood mononudear cells of nonallergic donors. The CPE-specific T-lymphocyte clones generated from the selected patient were all CD4+/CD8- T helper cells with a TH2 cytokine profile, secreting high amounts of IL-4 and IL-5, but little or no interferon-γ. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that peanut-specific T cells do occur in the peripheral blood of patients with peanut allergy and suggests an increased frequency of these T cells in patients compared with nonallergic control subjects. The CD4+ phenotype and the TH2 cytokine profile of the CPE-specific T-lymphocyte clones suggest a functional role of allergen-specific TH2 cells in the pathophysiology of food allergy, similar to the function of inhalation allergen-specific TH2 cells. Copyright © 1996 by Mosby-Year Book, Inc.
Topics
Food allergyPeanutPhenotypeT-cell clonesFood allergenImmunoglobulin eInterleukin 4Interleukin 5AdolescentCase reportCell cloneControlled studyHelper cellT lymphocyte subpopulationAdultAntigens, SurfaceArachis hypogaeaClone CellsCytokinesEpitopesFemaleFood HypersensitivityHumansLymphocyte ActivationMalePlant ProteinsTh2 Cells
TNO Identifier
233589
ISSN
00916749
Source
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 98(1), pp. 73-81.
Pages
73-81
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