| Research Abstract |
The aim of the project was to investigate the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy for perennial and seasonal allergic rhinitis and the working mechanisms of the treatment behind the clinical efficacy. First of all, our study documented that immunotherapy can not only alleviate the nasal symptoms of patients with allergic rhinitis, but also cure the disease. A variety of immunological mechanisms were involved in the working mechanis of immunotherapy, which included an induction of apecific blocking Ig G4 antibody, an suppression of T cell hyper-activity, an inhibition of IgE synthesis, a suppression of inflammatory events, and T cell aneryg. However, these different immunological mechanisms were involved in the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy at different phases of the treatment. Immunotherapy suppressed both TH1 and TH2 responses during allergen stimulation. However, the effect of immunotherapy on the TH1 response was not significantly correlated with the symptomatic relief. The suppression of the TH2 response was exclusively related to the clinical efficacy. The conclusion of the study is that a suppression of the allergen-induced TH2 response, especially IL-5 synthesis, is the major mechanism of immunotherapy related to the clinical efficacy.
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