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Immunologic disturbances in cow's milk allergy, 2: evidence for defective interferon‐gamma generation
Author(s) -
Suomalainen H.,
Soppi E.,
Laine S.,
Isolauri E.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
pediatric allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.269
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1399-3038
pISSN - 0905-6157
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00092.x
Subject(s) - medicine , allergy , milk allergy , interferon gamma , cow's milk allergy , immunology , population , cytokine , food allergy , environmental health
We have investigated the role of interferon‐gamma (IFN‐gamma) in the regulation of antigen‐specific T‐cell function in patients with cow's milk allergy. The study population consisted of 22 patients, aged from 7. 6 to 56. 9 months, who had challenge‐proven cow's milk allergy (CMA) manifested with either skin (n=9) or gastrointestinal (n=13) symptoms. In addition, 11 age‐matched children and 6 adults, mean (SD) age 31 (7) years, were studied as controls. Patients with challenge‐proven CMA were rechallenged to establish whether they had acquired clinical tolerance to cow's milk. The spontaneous and mitogen‐induced IFN‐gamma and interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) generation of isolated lymphocytes was evaluated in vitro with commercial ELISA Kits at diagnosis and at reassessment. At diagnosis, the IFN‐gamma production was not detectable in patients with CMA as compared with control children. IL‐4 production was almost undetectable in all subjects in this study. However, at reassessment the CMA patients who had acquired clinical tolerance to cow's milk (n=16) showed enhanced IFN‐gamma production, when compared with that of control children, but still lower when compared with that of healthy adults. Our results indicate that the maturation of IFN‐gamma producing T‐cells is delayed in CMA, which could lead to a disturbance in the regulation of T‐cell function. This defect might be an important etiologic factor for CMA.