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Original Article

 

Are Basophil Activation and Sulphidoleukotriene Determination Useful Tests for Monitoring Patients With Peach Allergy Receiving Sublingual Immunotherapy With a Pru p 3-Enriched Peach Extract?

 

S Garrido-Fernández,1 BE García,1 ML Sanz,2 S Echechipía,1 MT Lizaso,1 AI Tabar1

1Allergy Department, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
2Allergy and Immunology Department, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2014; Vol. 24(2): 106-113

 

 Abstract


Introduction: Treatment of food allergy essentially consists of food avoidance, but immunotherapy with food is emerging as a new therapeutic option.

Objective: To evaluate clinical improvement and immunological changes in patients with peach allergy following sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with a Pru p 3 quantified peach extract.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with peach SLIT was conducted. We assessed clinical efficacy after 6 months of treatment by means of double-blind, placebo-controlled oral challenges with peach and also evaluated immunological changes (basophil activation test [BAT] and determination of sulphidoleukotriene production) following stimulation with peach peel and pulp, rPru p 3, rMal d 1, and rMal d 4 stimulation. We also measured specific IgE and IgG4 to Pru p 3.

Results: After 6 months of SLIT (T6), the active group showed a 3-fold improvement in tolerance to Pru p 3 and a significant increase in IgE to rPru p 3 and in sLT production following stimulation with peach peel and rPru p 3. There was also a significant increase in BAT results after stimulation with rPru p 3 at 1 month of SLIT (T1). Statistically significant between-group differences were only observed for BAT with peach peel and pulp at T1 and T6 and for BAT with rPru p 3 at T6. No changes were observed in BAT with rMal d 1 or rMal d 4 or in IgG4 levels to nPru p 3.

Conclusions: SLIT with a Pru p 3 quantified peach extract is clinically effective and leads to an increase in basophil activation and sulphidoleukotriene production following stimulation with rPru p 3 and peach peel in the first months of treatment.

Key words: Basophil. CAST. Food immunotherapy. Lipid transfer protein. Sublingual immunotherapy. Peach immunotherapy. LTP.