| Autor: |
Bufe, Albrecht, Gehlhar, Kirsten, Grage-Griebenow, Evelin, Ernst, Martin |
| Předmět: |
|
| Zdroj: |
International Archives of Allergy & Immunology; 2002, Vol. 127 Issue 1, p82-88, 7p |
| Abstrakt: |
Background: Interferon-α (IFN-α) production in humans is an early event in the nonspecific cellular response to viruses and mediates a wide range of antiviral and immunoregulatory activities. Little is known about the role of IFN-α in allergic disease. Methods: In the present study, we performed a retrospective comparative analysis of 88 children with and without an atopic phenotype for virus-induced IFN-α production in blood cultures. Results: We were able to demonstrate that patients with allergic asthma (aA) produced significantly lower amounts of virus-induced IFN-α than healthy children and patients with nonallergic asthma (naA). Furthermore, the number of eosinophils in atopic children as a marker for allergic inflammation correlated negatively with the IFN-α level in blood cultures. Additionally, we found differences between aA and naA patients with respect to the capacity to produce IFN-γ. Although atopy is thought to be associated with a Th2 cytokine response, in our study, IFN-γ release was not reduced in the allergic children. In contrast, patients with allergic rhinitis showed a significant increase in IFN-γ release compared to naA patients. Conclusions: In our study, an early atopic phenotype was related to a reduction in virus induced IFN-α release from blood cultures. Thus, after further prospective evaluation, the IFN-α level may serve as an additional in vitro marker for the definition of atopy in children.Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
