Mechanism and clinical evidence of immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is a common upper airway disease caused by hypersensitivity to various aeroallergens. It causes increased inflammation throughout the body and may be complicated by other otolaryngological pathologies such as chronic hyperplastic eosinophilic sinusitis, nasal polyposis, and serous otitis media. Allergic rhinitis is an IgE-mediated disease and immunotherapy can be a possible approach for patients to limit the use of antihistamines and corticosteroids.

Peanut allergy in Italy: A unique Italian perspective.

Background: Peanut allergy has not been well characterized in Italy.

Objective: Our aim was to better define the clinical features of peanut allergy in Italy and to detect the peanut proteins involved in allergic reactions.

Methods: A total of 22 centers participated in a prospective survey of peanut allergy over a 6-month period.

Systemic allergic reactions induced by labile plant-food allergens: Seeking potential cofactors. A multicenter study.

Background: Heat-and-pepsin-sensitive plant food allergens (PR-10 and profilin) sometimes cause systemic reaction.

Objective: To detect the risk factors for systemic reactions induced by labile food allergens.

Methods: A retrospective multicenter study was performed on patients with a documented history of systemic allergic reaction to labile plant food allergens and on age-matched controls with a history of oral allergy syndrome (OAS) induced by the same foods.

Serum Free Light Chains in Common Variable Immunodeficiency Disorders: Role in Differential Diagnosis and Association With Clinical Phenotype.

We report on an observational, multicenter study of 345 adult CVID patients, designed to assess the diagnostic value and the clinical association of serum free light chain (sFLC) pattern in Common Variable Immunodeficiency disorders (CVID). Sixty CVID patients were tested twice in order to assess intraindividual variability of sFLC. As control groups we included 138 patients affected by undefined primary antibody defects (UAD), lymphoproliferative diseases (LPDs), and secondary antibody deficiencies not related to hematological malignancies (SID).

Health-Related Quality of Life and Emotional Difficulties in Chronic Granulomatous Disease: Data on Adult and Pediatric Patients from Italian Network for Primary Immunodeficiency (IPINet).

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by life-threatening infections, inflammation, and autoimmunity with an impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Few data are available for children, whereas no study has been conducted in adults. Here, we investigated HRQoL and emotional functioning of 19 children and 28 adults enrolled in Italian registry for CGD.

Coeliac Disease and Mast Cells.

Over the last decades, there has been an impressive progress in our understanding of coeliac disease pathogenesis and it has become clear that the disorder is the final result of complex interactions of environmental, genetic, and immunological factors. Coeliac disease is now considered a prototype of T-cell-mediated disease characterized by loss of tolerance to dietary gluten and the targeted killing of enterocytes by T-cell receptor αβ intraepithelial lymphocytes. Accumulating evidence, however, indicates that the induction of a gluten-specific T helper-1 response must be preceded by the activation of the innate immune system.

High-resolution computed tomography findings in humoral primary immunodeficiencies and correlation with pulmonary function tests.

Aim: To compare high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings between humoral primary immunodeficiencies (hPIDs) subtypes; to correlate these findings to pulmonary function tests (PFTs).

Methods: We retrospectively identified 52 consecutive adult patients with hPIDs who underwent 64-row HRCT and PFTs at the time of diagnosis. On a per-patient basis, an experienced radiologist recorded airway abnormalities (bronchiectasis, airway wall thickening, mucus plugging, tree-in-bud, and air-trapping) and parenchymal-interstitial abnormalities (consolidations, ground-glass opacities, linear and/or irregular opacities, nodules, and bullae/cysts) found on HRCT.

Shift from intravenous or 16% subcutaneous replacement therapy to 20% subcutaneous immunoglobulin in patients with primary antibody deficiencies.

In patients with primary antibody deficiencies, subcutaneous administration of IgG (SCIG) replacement is effective, safe, well-tolerated, and can be self-administered at home. A new SCIG replacement at 20% concentration (Hizentra) has been developed and has replaced Vivaglobin (SCIG 16%). An observational prospective multi-centric open-label study, with retrospective comparison was conducted in 15 Italian centers, in order to investigate whether and to what extent switching to Hizentra would affect frequency of infusions, number of infusion sites, patients' satisfaction, and tolerability in patients previously treated with Vivaglobin or intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG).

Mast cells are associated with the onset and progression of celiac disease.

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disorder characterized by an accumulation of immune cells in the duodenal mucosa as a consequence of both adaptive and innate immune responses to undigested gliadin peptides. Mast cells (MCs) are innate immune cells that are a major source of costimulatory signals and inflammatory mediators in the intestinal mucosa. Although MCs have previously been associated with CD, functional studies have never been performed.

Co-Occurrence of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria with Immunoglobulin A Deficiency and Autoimmune Diseases.

Background: Immunoglobulin (Ig) A deficiency is a primary immunodeficiency in which autoimmunity is frequently observed. Thirty to fifty percent of patients with spontaneous chronic urticaria have autoantibodies that are able to cross-link FcεRI on mast cells and basophils.

Methods: We investigated whether spontaneous chronic urticaria in patients with IgA deficiency meets the criteria for autoimmunity.

Overpunishing is not necessary to fix cooperation in voluntary public goods games.

The fixation of cooperation among unrelated individuals is one of the fundamental problems in biology and social sciences. It is investigated by means of public goods games, the generalization of the prisoner's dilemma to more than two players. In compulsory public goods games, defect is the dominant strategy, while voluntary participation overcomes the social dilemma by allowing a cyclic coexistence of cooperators, defectors, and non-participants.

Oxidative microenvironment exerts an opposite regulatory effect on cytokine production by Th1 and Th2 cells.

Oxidative stress occurs in allergic disorders and immunologic inflammatory responses and reactive oxygen metabolites have an additional role of cell-signaling mediators, influencing many biological processes. Using in vitro derived Th1 and Th2 clones or T cells derived from autoimmune thyroiditis we study the ability of Th1 or Th2 cells to expand and produce cytokine in an oxidative environment. We found that low-doses of H2O2 reduce the INF-gamma production of activated Th1 clones and potentiate the IL-4 secretion of activated Th2 clones.

The mast cell: an antenna of the microenvironment that directs the immune response.

Mast cells (MCs) have long been considered as critical effector cells during immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated allergic disease and immune response to parasites. Recent studies, however, suggest that this understanding of MC function is incomplete and does not consider the complex roles that MCs play in adaptive and innate immunity. The added function gives an innovative vision of regulation of immune responses and the development of autoimmune diseases.

Oxidative stress stimulates IL-4 and IL-6 production in mast cells by an APE/Ref-1-dependent pathway.

Mast cells are exposed to an oxidative environment in the course of allergic and inflammatory reactions. We have examined the effects of H(2)O(2) stimulation in a primary rat basophilic leukemia cell line (RBL-2H3) and compared with IgE-dependent stimulation. Like IgE stimulation, H(2)O(2) up-regulates IL-4 and IL-6 gene expression and cytokine secretion, shows a little effect on IL-5 but does not induce IL-10 gene expression.

Human TH1 and TH2 Subsets.

Human CD4+ T cell clones secreting different patterns of cytokines similar to TH1 and TH2 cells described in mice have been demonstrated. These human TH1 and TH2 clones are produced in response to different antigens and exhibit distinct functional properties. TH1 clones are produced in response to intracellular bacteria and viruses, do not provide help for IgE production and possess cytolytic potential, whereas TH2 clones are produced in response to allergens and helminth components, provide optimal help for IgM, IgG, IgA and IgE synthesis, and lack cytolytic potential.