Efficacy of recombinant birch pollen vaccine for the treatment of birch-allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

Background: Recombinant DNA technology has the potential to produce allergen-specific immunotherapy vaccines with defined composition.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a new recombinant birch pollen allergen vaccine in patients with birch pollen allergy.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken to compare the following 3 vaccines in 134 adults with birch pollen allergy: recombinant birch pollen allergen vaccine (rBet v 1a), licensed birch pollen extract, natural purified birch pollen allergen (nBet v 1), and placebo.

Optimal dose, efficacy, and safety of once-daily sublingual immunotherapy with a 5-grass pollen tablet for seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Background: Sublingual immunotherapy is well tolerated and data suggest its effectiveness for the treatment of allergic rhinitis in adults, but it lacks optimum dose definition.

Objective: To assess the efficacy, safety, and optimal dose of grass pollen tablets for immunotherapy of patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

Methods: In this multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 628 adults with grass pollen rhinoconjunctivitis (confirmed by positive skin prick test and serum-specific IgE) received 1 of 3 doses of a standardized 5-grass pollen extract, or placebo, administered sublingually using a once-daily tablet formulation.

Assessment of sublingual immunotherapy efficacy in children with house dust mite-induced allergic asthma optimally controlled by pharmacologic treatment and mite-avoidance measures.

Although several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of subcutaneous immunotherapy in allergic asthma, few have shown the same benefit using sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in asthmatic patients. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of house dust mite (HDM) SLIT in addition to allergen avoidance and standard pharmacologic treatment. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed in 111 children (aged 5-15 yr) with HDM-induced mild-to-moderate asthma.

Mite penetration of different types of material claimed as mite proof by the Siriraj chamber method.

Background: There are different materials and principles used in the construction of bed encasings. Although these covers claim to have antimite properties, they might not be mite proof.

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of mite penetration of these covers by using the Siriraj chamber method.

Standardization of an ash (Fraxinus excelsior) pollen allergen extract.

Background: Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) is the main representative of the Oleaceae family in temperate zones. Diagnosis of ash pollen allergy is made difficult due to (1) an overlapping pollinization period with Betulaceae, (2) non-inclusion in current diagnostic assays, and (3) some cross- reactivity with minor allergens from Betulaceae. The aim of this study was to calibrate an ash pollen in-house reference preparation (IHRP) in allergic patients in order to produce standardized products for diagnosis and immunotherapy purposes.

Specific immunotherapy with standardized latex extract versus placebo in latex-allergic patients.

Background: Allergy to natural rubber latex proteins continues to be an important medical problem among health care professionals, but also in multioperated children. Clinical manifestations range from urticaria to angioedema, rhinoconjunctivitis, bronchial asthma and anaphylactic shock.

Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of a 12-month latex-specific immunotherapy in sensitized patients, most often health care workers.

Production and proteomic characterization of pharmaceutical-grade Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae extracts for allergy vaccines.

Background: House dust mites (HDM) such as Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae represent a major cause of type 1 allergies worldwide. Hence large quantities of well-characterized HDM extracts are needed to prepare pharmaceutical-grade allergy vaccines. To this aim, the present study was undertaken to define optimal conditions for large-scale cultures.

Characterization of wild-type recombinant Bet v 1a as a candidate vaccine against birch pollen allergy.

Background: We describe the production in Escherichia coli as a recombinant protein of clinical grade wild-type Bet v 1a (rBet v 1a), to be used as a candidate vaccine against birch pollen allergy.

Methods: This recombinant protein was purified by hydrophobic interaction and ion exchange chromatography and characterized by SDS-PAGE, immunoprint and circular dichroism in parallel with natural Bet v 1 (nBet v 1) purified from a birch pollen extract. We also compared rBet v 1 and nBet v 1 for their capacity to induce histamine release from basophils and to stimulate T lymphocyte proliferation.

Canadian trial of sublingual swallow immunotherapy for ragweed rhinoconjunctivitis.

Background: Sublingual swallow immunotherapy has been increasingly recognized as a safe and efficacious alternative to parenteral specific immunotherapy.

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of sublingual swallow immunotherapy ragweed allergen extract for rhinoconjunctivitis treatment starting just before and continuing through the ragweed pollen season.

Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed in children and adults with a documented history of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis during ragweed season at 9 Canadian allergy centers.

Randomized controlled trial of high-dose sublingual immunotherapy to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Background: Seasonal allergic rhinitis is common and troublesome. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been proposed as an alternative to injection immunotherapy and might offer some advantages if it were effective and practical in a community setting.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and side-effect profile of SLIT in patients with summer hay fever uncontrolled on current standard medication.

[Acquired angioneurotic edema induced by hormonal contraception].

Objective: Although frequently pointed out in the aetiology of chronic angioedema or chronic abdominal pain, food allergy is frequently a diagnosis for lack of anything better, as exemplified by disappointing results of eviction regimens. This has resulted in the search for other aetiologies, such as an iatrogenic effect of oral contraceptives.

Methods: Detailed medical history was obtained on 38 young women, aged a mean of 26 years, experiencing chronic angioedema initially ascribed to food hypersensitivity, but in whom a deficit in C1 inhibitor was demonstrated.

Gelatin prepared from tuna skin: a risk factor for fish allergy or sensitization?

Background: Although fish gelatin may represent a useful alternative to bovine or porcine gelatin, the clearly recognized high prevalence of fish allergy could increase the risk of anaphylaxis to gelatin. The rationale for investigating tuna gelatin rather than gelatin from more allergenic fishes is the availability of an industrial gelatin under development. The infrequent occurrence of tuna allergy should influence the safety of a derived product.

Exogenous oestrogen as an alternative to food allergy in the aetiology of angioneurotic oedema.

Although frequently reported as an aetiology for chronic angioneurotic oedema or urticaria, food allergy is often a diagnosis proposed in the absence of more convincing evidence, as illustrated by the disappointing results of eviction regimens. We report a series of women with an initial diagnosis of food allergy, but in whom the role of oral contraceptives was subsequently demonstrated. Detailed medical history was obtained from 26 young women presenting with chronic angioneurotic oedema or urticaria initially attributed to food allergy, but in whom C1-esterase inhibitor (C1 INH) deficiency was demonstrated.

Lactic acid bacteria inhibit TH2 cytokine production by mononuclear cells from allergic patients.

Background: Among factors potentially involved in the increased prevalence of allergic diseases, modification of the intestinal bacteria flora or lack of bacterial stimulation during childhood has been proposed. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in fermented foods or belonging to the natural intestinal microflora were shown to exert beneficial effects on human health. Recent reports have indicated their capacity to reduce allergic symptoms.

Relationship between expression of matrix metalloproteinases and migration of epidermal and in vitro generated Langerhans cells.

Langerhans cells (LC) are dendritic cells that capture foreign antigens and migrate with them to the regional lymph nodes where they are presented to naive T cells. The possible role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in migration was suggested following experiments in a mouse model and in human skin explants. Using in vitro generated LC (iLC) derived from CD34+ cord blood cells and epidermal LC (eLC), we investigated the correlation between MMP-9 and other MMPs production and cell migration.