Tabagismo materno e IgE no cordão umbilical

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciencias da SaudeObjetivo: Analisar a influência do tabagismo materno nos níveis de IgE do sangue do cordão umbilical dos recém nascidos (RN). Local: O estudo desenvolveu-se na Maternidade Escola da UFSC (Maternidade Carmela Dutra) em Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Sujeitos: Investigou-se 492 RN e respectivos pais e mães. Métodos: Colheu-se sangue do cordão umbilical dos RN para análise laboratorial de imunoglobulina E, pela técnica de enzima imuno ensaio (ABBOTT IgE EIA). As mães foram também questionadas em relação ao uso de tabaco e fatores outros relativos à gravidez. Para analisar a influência das três variáveis independentes (antecedentes alérgicos maternos, paternos e tabagismo materno), utilizamos o modelo de análise de variância múltipla. Resultados: Os RN de mães certamente alérgicas tiveram, em média, níveis de IgE mais elevados que aqueles de mães não alérgicas. Tabagismo materno foi o mais importante fator determinante de elevação dos níveis de IgE no cordão umbilical. Diminuir o número de cigarros/dia, durante a gravidez, não excluiu o efeito do tabaco sobre a IgE no cordão umbilical. Os RN de mães ex-fumantes apresentaram o mesmo comportamento daqueles de mães não fumantes, em relação à IgE. Conclusões: Nossos resultados demonstraram que o tabagismo materno está associado a níveis elevados de IgE no sangue do cordão umbilical. A abolição do tabagismo durante a gravidez, permitiu observar a eliminação deste efeito

Interferon-γ Level in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis is an itchy, inflammatory skin condition with a predilection for the skin flexures. Studies have found the expression of IL-4 and decreased IFN-γ expression was more pronounced in allergen-specific T cells stimulated by various allergens. A comparative descriptive study cover 21 case of AD and 16 control individuals. The mean level of INF-γ was higher among the control than the cases of AD but there was no significant difference between the mean INF-γ level (P = 0.261). There was no significant difference in age between cases and control (P = 0.053). Keywords: Atopic dermatitis, INF- γ, Family history, Children DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/64-01 Publication date:July 31st 201

Allergic Eosinophil-rich Inflammation Develops in Lungs and Airways of B Cell–deficient Mice

Immunoglobulins (Ig), particularly IgE, are believed to be crucially involved in the pathogenesis of asthma and, equally, in allergic models of the disease. To validate this paradigm we examined homozygous mutant C57BL/6 mice, which are B cell deficient, lacking all Ig. Mice were immunized intraperitoneally with 10 μg ovalbumin (OVA) plus alum, followed by daily (day 14–20) 30 min exposures to OVA aerosol (OVA/OVA group). Three control groups were run: OVA intraperitoneally plus saline (SAL) aerosol (OVA/SAL group); saline intraperitoneally plus saline aerosol; saline intraperitoneally plus OVA aerosol (n = 6–7). Lung and large airway tissues obtained 24 h after the last OVA or SAL exposure were examined by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Ig-deficient mice receiving OVA/ OVA treatment had swollen and discolored lungs and exhibited marked eosinophilia both in large airway subepithelial tissue (49.2 ± 12.0 cells/mm basement membrane [BM] versus OVA/ SAL control 1.2 ± 0.3 cells/mm BM; P <0.001), and perivascularly and peribronchially in the lung (49.3 ± 9.0 cells/unit area versus OVA/SAL control 2.6 ± 0.6 cells/unit area; P <0.001). The eosinophilia extended to the regional lymph nodes. TEM confirmed the subepithelial and perivascular localization of eosinophils. Mucus cells in large airway epithelium increased from 1.5 ± 0.8 (OVA/SAL mice) to 39.5 ± 5.7 cells/mm BM in OVA/OVA treated mice (P <0.001). OVA/SAL mice never differed from the other control groups. Corresponding experiments in wild-type mice (n = 6–7 in each group) showed qualitatively similar but less pronounced eosinophil and mucus cell changes. Macrophages and CD4+ T cells increased in lungs of all OVA/OVA-treated mice. Mast cell number did not differ but degranulation was detected only in OVA/OVA-treated wild-type mice. Immunization to OVA followed by OVA challenges thus cause eosinophil-rich inflammation in airways and lungs of mice without involvement of B cells and Ig

An Examination of Bacterial Communities in the Upper Respiratory Tracts of Asthmatics and Non-Asthmatics

The human body is colonized with commensal microbes that attach to the skin and mucosal membranes and function to protect the host as part of the innate immune response. These indigenous microbiota are able to prevent infections by blocking attachment sites and outcompeting invading pathogens for necessary nutrients. Disturbance of the host-microbe symbiotic balance may increase a host’s susceptibility to disease. In addition, proper colonization of the normal flora has been implicated in playing a vital role in shaping the immune response. It has been hypothesized that reduced exposure to infectious microorganisms early in life can disrupt the development of normal immune regulation. This “hygiene hypothesis” states that the increased prevalence of allergic diseases in developed countries can be attributed to a more hygienic, westernized lifestyle that is characterized by a decrease in microbial challenges. Therefore, the allergic disease asthma, which is characterized by a heightened inflammatory response, could be the result of disturbed microbial colonization, hindrance of immune maturation, and subsequent disregulation of the allergic response. It would be expected that asthmatic individuals would exhibit a less diverse and less abundant population of normal flora as compared to non-asthmatic individuals. This preliminary study investigated the bacterial communities found in the upper respiratory tracts of asthmatic and non-asthmatic subjects. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (tRFLP) was used to examine the composition of bacteria in oropharyngeal samples collected from student volunteers at Trinity College. The tRFLP profiles of asthmatic and non-asthmatic subjects produced conflicting results, and it cannot be concluded if there is a difference in the diversity or abundance of bacterial communities in the upper respiratory tracts of both populations

Alergia – o stare, multiple manifestări

Cele mai răspândite maladii alergice, condiţionate de sensibilizarea de tip imediat la alergeni exogeni, sunt astmul bronşic, rinita alergică şi dermatita atopică. Aceste maladii, în majoritatea cazurilor,l se dezvoltă la unul şi acelaşi pacient la diferite etape ale vieţii sau concomitent, debutând,de regulă, din primii ani. Multiplele cercetări în diferite ţări pe cohorte mari de pacienţi au demonstrat că aceste maladii alergice sunt, de facto, diferite manifestări ale stării alergice a întregului organism

Lymphotoxin Is Required for Maintaining Physiological Levels of Serum IgE That Minimizes Th1-mediated Airway Inflammation

Although elevated levels of IgE in asthmatic patients are strongly associated with lung infiltration by activated T helper (Th) 2 cells, the physiological role of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the airway remains largely undefined. Lymphotoxin-deficient α (LTα−/−) mice exhibit increased airway inflammation, paradoxically accompanied by diminished levels of IgE and reduced airway hyperresponsiveness in response to both environmental and induced antigen challenge. The severe lung inflammation in LTα−/− mice is Th1 in nature and can be alleviated by IgE reconstitution. Conversely, depletion of IgE in wild-type mice recapitulates the lung pathologies of LTα−/− mice. Therefore, this work has revealed that lymphotoxin is essential for IgE production, and a physiological role of IgE in the airway may consist of maintaining the balance of Th1 and Th2 responses to prevent aberrant inflammation