Expression of Interferon‐γ, Interleukin‐4 and Interleukin‐5 mRNA in the Nasal Mucosal Membrane of Rats with Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

The production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody is largely dependent on the ratio between interleukin-4 (IL-4) (a T helper 2 (Th2)-type cytokine) and interferon-g (IFN-g) (a T helper 1 (Th1)-type cytokine). Interleukin-5 (IL-5) (also a Th2-type cytokine) is an important eosinophil differentiation factor and also costimulates B-cell growth and differentiation. The present study was designed to evaluate and compare the expression of IFN-g, IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA in the nasal mucosal membrane of sensitized Brown-Norway (BN) rats. Fourteen BN rats were divided into two groups: non-sensitized (control) and sensitized. The sensitized group was injected with ovalbumin (OA) intraperitoneally on three consecutive days. Twenty-one days later, rats were exposed to 1% OA aerosol. Twenty-four hours after exposure to aerosol, nasal mucosa was extracted from both groups and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed. The densities of the bands of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-g mRNA were expressed as percentages against b-actin mRNA. Our results showed that the mean values for IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA were increased significantly in sensitized rats compared with control rats. In contrast, the mean value for IFN-g mRNA was significantly lower in sensitized rats compared with those of the control group. Our data therefore suggest that sensitization of rat nasal mucous membranes results in the predominant expression of Th2-type cytokines.

Expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3 Is Altered in the Nasal Mucosa of Patients with Mild and Moderate/Severe Persistent Allergic Rhinitis

“…Therefore, in association with SOCS1 and SOCS3 upregulation, a reduced number of IFN-γ-producing Th1 cells may show a strong correlation to the development of allergic sensitization, implicating SOCS1 and SOCS3 as candidate proteins involved in allergic rhinitis. This suggestion is supported by evidence demonstrating that IFN-γ mRNA was expressed at significantly higher levels in control than in sensitized allergic rats [19]. Indeed, IFN-γ levels were not elevated in allergic rhinitis patients [20].…”

Análise de citocinas pela RT-PCR em pacientes com rinite alérgica

“…Botta (2005) 2 . The semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was a potentially useful method, bringing subsidies for the study of citokines in allergic patients, having seen that this disease is a good model to study these substances, according to Naggar et al(1998) 15 . IL-8 and IFN-γ results were similar in both groups, except for IL-4 and there was a strong trend towards IL-5 increase.…”

“…In our study we noticed that there was no statistically significant difference in the IFN-γ levels between the two groups investigated. According to Naggar et al,(1998) 15 , IgE production is closely related with a balance between IL-4 (Th2 response) and IFN-γ (Th1 response). In their study with sensitized rats, there was a predominance of Th2 response and an increase in IL-4 levels, with reduction in IFN-γ (Th1) levels, in agreement with our results.…”

Exogenous interleukin-10 alleviates allergic inflammation but inhibits local interleukin-10 expression in a mouse allergic rhinitis model

“…Exaggerated Th17 and impaired Treg responses have been implicated in the development of AR and have been associated with corticosteroid resistance [2-7]. These T-cell subsets regulate inflammatory responses mainly by secreting specific cytokines such as interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-5, IL-17, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), as well as other non-specific cytokines such as tumor-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) [3-6,8,9]. …”