Effect of Oral Immunotherapy on Nasal Blockage in Experimental Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

Abstract. We previously reported that when Japanese cedar pollen was prophylactically p.o. administered before a sensitization stage in a guinea-pig model of allergic rhinitis, pollen-induced nasal blockage was suppressed. In this study, we evaluated whether the oral immunotherapy is also effective when the pollen extract was administered starting from the day when the nasal blockage was clearly induced and whether the effectiveness continued after cessation of the immunotherapy. Sensitized animals were repeatedly challenged by pollen inhalation once every week. After the 7th challenge, the extract was orally administered twice a week until the 30th challenge. At the 11th challenge, the oral immunotherapy showed inhibition of the biphasic nasal blockage. The effectiveness was consistently observed during the immunotherapy until the 30th challenge. Furthermore, the increased nasal responsiveness to intranasal application of leukotriene D 4 was markedly suppressed by the immunotherapy. Interestingly, even after cessation of the therapy, inhibition of the nasal blockage was sustained for more than 2 months. Nevertheless, neither sneezing nor antigen-specific IgE antibody production was substantially influenced by the immunotherapy. In conclusion, Oral immunotherapy may be clinically useful for allergic nasal blockage. Mechanisms underlying the effectiveness may be associated with the hyporesponsiveness of the nasal mucosa to released mediators.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Aggravate Antigen-Induced Nasal Blockage in Experimental Allergic Rhinitis

“…We previously established an experimental allergic rhinitis model in sensitized guinea pigs, using cedar pollen as the antigen. In that model, we observed development of biphasic nasal blockage with repeated pollen inhalation challenges, immediate sneezing at antigen challenge, and an increase in Cry j 1-specific IgE levels in the sera (12,13). These results are similar to clinical findings, indicating that the model is suitable for analyzing the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.…”

Orally Administrated Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 and Lactobacillus GG Alleviated Nasal Blockage of Guinea Pig with Allergic Rhinitis

“…Before OVA administration and at some points after the administration, specific airway resistance (sRaw) was measured using a twochambered double-flow plethysmograph system according to the method of Pennock et al (15). sRaw was used to indicate the degree of nasal blockage in sensitized guinea pigs (13). In brief, an unanesthetized guinea pig was placed in a two-chambered box with its neck extending through the partition of the two-chambered box, and sRaw was measured using the noninvasive airway resistance data analyzer Pulmos-I (M.I.P.S, Osaka, Japan).…”

“…Sneezing and watery rhinorrhea can be suppressed by antihistaminics, the widely used antiallergic drugs. However, nasal blockage is not relieved by these antiallergic drugs and can only be relieved by α-adrenoceptor stimulatory decongestants and corticosteroids, which unfortunately induce tachyphylaxis when repeatedly used over a short period and other well-known side effects, respectively (13). Therefore, a novel treatment for nasal blockage associated with allergic rhinitis is needed in the management of allergic rhinitis.…”

Aggravation of Allergic Rhinitis by Air Pollution: Demonstration by an Animal Model of Pollenosis

“…Consequently, Cry j 1-specific IgE antibody level was increased during the repeated pollen challenges (Fig. 1, lower left panel) (Nabe, 1997a(Nabe, , 2005. In addition, after respective pollen challenges, sneezing was induced within 1 h after a challenge (Nabe, 1998).…”