Immunotherapy of allergy: anergy, deletion, and immune deviation

✍ Scribed by Jennifer Rolland; Robyn O'Hehir

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 524 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0952-7915
• DOI: 10.1016/s0952-7915(98)80082-4

✦ Synopsis

Decreased allergen-specific T cell proliferation and dysregulated cytokine synthesis accompany allergen immunotherapy, consistent with mechanisms of anergy and immune deviation. Recent studies emphasise the pivotal role of decreased T cell IL-4:IFN-gamma ratios. A landmark clinical trial of T cell epitope peptides for venom-immunotherapy shows efficacy and safety; murine models suggest intramolecular epitope-suppression inhibits responses to the whole allergen.