TY - JOUR
T1 - Differences in antigen-specific T-cell responses between infants with atopic dermatitis with and without cow's milk allergy
T2 - Relevance of TH2 cytokines
AU - Schade, Rogier P.
AU - Van Ieperen-Van Dijk, Adrie G.
AU - Van Reijsen, Frank C.
AU - Versluis, Coraline
AU - Kimpen, Jan L.L.
AU - Knol, Edward F.
AU - Bruijnzeel-Koomen, Carla A.F.M.
AU - Van Hoffen, Els
PY - 2000/1/1
Y1 - 2000/1/1
N2 - Background: Cow's milk is the most important food antigen in infancy and may lead to acute cutaneous symptoms and atopic dermatitis (AD). The role of circulating allergen-specific T cells in the pathogenesis of food-allergic skin symptoms is still under investigation. Objective: This study was designed to analyze the cow's milk protein (CMP)-specific T-cell response at the clonal level in infants with AD and cow's milk allergy (CMA) in comparison with infants with AD without CMA. Method: We used an antigen-specific culturing system with autologous B cells as antigen-presenting cells to establish CMP-specific T-cell clones derived from PBMCs in infants with AD. T-cell reactivity, measured by using a lymphocyte stimulation test, and cytokine production, measured by using ELISA, was compared between infants with AD with and without CMA. Result: Both infants with and without allergy to cow's milk had a CMP-specific T helper cell response directed against the major proteins in milk. Analysis of antigen-specific cytokine production showed that this response was T(H)2 skewed in infants with CMA, with production of high levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. In contrast, infants without CMA had a T(H)1-skewed response, with high levels of IFN-γ and low levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Conclusion: These data confirm for the first time at the clonal level that food allergy in infants with AD is associated with production of T(H)2 cytokines by circulating antigen-specific CD4+ T cells, whereas tolerance to food antigens is associated with low levels of these cytokines. This suggests a key role for the T helper cell-derived T(H)2 cytokines in food allergy-related skin symptoms.
AB - Background: Cow's milk is the most important food antigen in infancy and may lead to acute cutaneous symptoms and atopic dermatitis (AD). The role of circulating allergen-specific T cells in the pathogenesis of food-allergic skin symptoms is still under investigation. Objective: This study was designed to analyze the cow's milk protein (CMP)-specific T-cell response at the clonal level in infants with AD and cow's milk allergy (CMA) in comparison with infants with AD without CMA. Method: We used an antigen-specific culturing system with autologous B cells as antigen-presenting cells to establish CMP-specific T-cell clones derived from PBMCs in infants with AD. T-cell reactivity, measured by using a lymphocyte stimulation test, and cytokine production, measured by using ELISA, was compared between infants with AD with and without CMA. Result: Both infants with and without allergy to cow's milk had a CMP-specific T helper cell response directed against the major proteins in milk. Analysis of antigen-specific cytokine production showed that this response was T(H)2 skewed in infants with CMA, with production of high levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. In contrast, infants without CMA had a T(H)1-skewed response, with high levels of IFN-γ and low levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Conclusion: These data confirm for the first time at the clonal level that food allergy in infants with AD is associated with production of T(H)2 cytokines by circulating antigen-specific CD4+ T cells, whereas tolerance to food antigens is associated with low levels of these cytokines. This suggests a key role for the T helper cell-derived T(H)2 cytokines in food allergy-related skin symptoms.
KW - Atopic dermatitis
KW - Casein
KW - Cow's milk
KW - Cytokine
KW - Food allergy
KW - Human
KW - IL-4
KW - Infants
KW - T(H)1/T(H)2 cells
KW - T-cell clone
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034544918&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1067/mai.2000.110802
DO - https://doi.org/10.1067/mai.2000.110802
M3 - Article
SN - 0091-6749
VL - 106
SP - 1155
EP - 1162
JO - Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
JF - Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
IS - 6
M1 - 22908
ER -