Therapeutic potential of a novel hybrid protein: Mitigating allergy and airway remodeling in chronic asthma models induced by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus.

Background: The house-dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is a key trigger of allergic asthma. Therefore, it is essential to develop new vaccines that can alter inflammatory processes and airway remodeling. The goal of this study was to test the hypoallergenic and immunogenic characteristics of the hypoallergen rDer p 2231 in a murine model of chronic asthma induced by D.

The hybrid protein BTH2 suppresses allergic airway inflammation in a murine model of HDM-specific immunotherapy.

Background: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only disease-modifying treatment approach to change disease-causing allergens. Hypoallergenic derivatives show promise as potential therapeutics, amongst which BTH2 was designed to induce tolerance against Blomia tropicalis allergy. Our aim was to investigate the hypoallergenicity and immunoregulatory activity of BTH2 in vitro and its therapeutic potential in a mouse model of AIT.

Recombinant T-cell epitope conjugation: A new approach for Dermatophagoides hypoallergen design.

Background: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only clinical approach that can potentially cure some allergic diseases by inducing immunological tolerance. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is considered as the most important source of mite allergens worldwide, with high sensitization rates for the major allergens Der p 1, Der p 2 and Der p 23. The aim of this work is to generate a hypoallergenic hybrid molecule containing T-cell epitopes from these three major allergens.

Toxocara canis extract fractions promote mainly the production of Th1 and regulatory cytokines by human leukocytes in vitro.

Helminths possibly down-modulate immune responses to airborne allergens through the induction of a regulatory network. The identification of helminths bioactive molecules is highly desirable, given their immunomodulatory potential which could be used in immunotherapies for allergy and autoimmune diseases. To investigate the immunoregulatory potential of the adult Toxocara canis crude extract and ten protein fractions of its extract, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 10 allergic and 9 non-allergic individuals were cultivated, in vitro, in the presence or absence of these antigens, and their supernatants were evaluated for cytokine production (TGF-β, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-5, IL13, and IL-17).

Genetic polymorphisms in vitamin D pathway influence 25(OH)D levels and are associated with atopy and asthma.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency, has been associated with atopy and lack of asthma control. Our objective was to investigate associations between variants in genes of vitamin D pathway with serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), atopy, asthma and asthma severity in teenagers from Northeast Brazil.

Methods: This is a cross sectional study nested in a cohort population of asthma.

Candidin and trichophytin stimulate the production of Th1 and regulatory cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells: implication for their use as adjuvants in immunotherapy.

Aim: This study's objective was to investigate whether candidin or trichophytin elicit recall immune responses that could potentially inhibit a Th2 response.

Materials & Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nine allergic and seven nonallergic individuals were cultivated in vitro in the presence or absence of these fungal extracts.

Results: Trichophytin or candidin, or both, stimulated the production of regulatory cytokines (TGF-β and/or IL-10), accompanied or not by stimulation of production of cytokines associated with the Th1 response (TNF-α, IL-12 and IFN-γ), but without stimulation of Th2 cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13) and IL-17, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of most allergic and nonallergic individuals.