Background
While treatment for atopic rhinitis is aimed mostly to relieve symptoms, only allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is targeted to modify the natural history of allergic diseases. This
Conclusion
Our data provide evidence for immunological effects of SLIT on B-cell memory. Skewing responses toward IgG2 and IgG4 subclasses might be a mechanism to suppress IgE-mediated allergic responses.
Methods
We recruited 29 patients with atopic seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis and performed a longitudinal analysis of the peripheral immune compartment before, during, and after sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for allergy to temperate grass pollen, predominantly to ryegrass pollen (RGP; Lolium perenne). Using flow cytometry on peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum immunoassays, we analyzed the effects of a 4 months preseasonal treatment regimen comprising two or three courses in consecutive years on circulating IgE+ and IgG+ memory B cells and allergen-specific Ig levels.
Objective
We aimed to examine the effects of AIT on the IgE- and IgG subclass-expressing memory B cells.
Results
SLIT increased RGP-specific serum IgG2 and IgG4 , as well as the frequencies of IgG2+ and IgG4+ memory B cells, whereas no effect was observed on the IgE+ memory B-cell compartment. Furthermore, SLIT enhanced proportions of regulatory T cells specific to RGP. These changes were associated with clinical improvement.