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Mucosal tolerance is associated with, but independent of, up‐regulation Th2 responses
Author(s) -
WOLVERS D. A. W.,
VAN DER CAMMEN M. J. F.,
KRAAL G.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2567.1997.00356.x
Subject(s) - sensitization , immunology , oral tolerance , nasal administration , immune tolerance , immunologic tolerance , antibody response , antigen , medicine , biology
Intranasal administration of protein antigen is an efficient way to induce mucosal tolerance. Suppressive mechanisms that might be involved in this phenomenon include down‐regulation of T‐helper type‐1 (Th1)‐mediated processes by Th2 cells. However, since Th2 responses can also be subjected to mucosal tolerance, we wanted to investigate whether suppression of a typical Th1 response, such as a delayed‐type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction by intranasal tolerance induction, was causally related to up‐regulation of Th2 responses. We therefore treated mice either systemically or locally with anti‐interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) or anti‐IL‐10 antibodies before intranasal tolerance induction or before sensitization for DTH to see whether we could prevent or abrogate tolerance. Although the up‐regulation of antigen‐specific IgE levels in tolerant mice could be prevented by anti‐IL‐4 treatment, the extent of tolerance as measured by suppression of DTH was not affected. We therefore conclude that up‐regulation of Th2 responses observed after intranasal tolerance induction is an additional or consequential rather than a necessary reaction.