Study of the effect of sublingual immunotherapy with cedar pollen extract on cypress pollinosis

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09368
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Yonekura Syuji 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 准教授 (20400939)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ヒノキ花粉症 / スギ花粉症 / 舌下免疫療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Compared with the cases of drug therapy without sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), the total nasal medication score was lower in the group who received SLIT in both the cedar pollen dispersal period and the cypress pollen dispersal period. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells extracted from blood samples before and after the pollen dispersal period were stimulated with cedar pollen antigen, the amount of type 2 cytokine production increased significantly in the SLIT group compared with the drug therapy group. Similarly, suppression of type 2 cytokines was observed when stimulated with cypress pollen antigen, but the degree of inhibition was less than when stimulated with cedar pollen. Although cedar pollen and cypress pollen have a common antigen, the results suggest the influence of antigens peculiar to cypress pollen such as Cha 0 3.

Free Research Field

耳鼻咽喉科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

スギ花粉とヒノキ花粉は共通項抗原をもち、スギ花粉症症例の多くにヒノキ花粉症が合併していることが知られている。本研究ではスギ花粉エキスを用いた舌下免疫療法は、3年間の治療経過を観察した限りでは、概ね治療年数を重ねることで効果は増強することが示唆された。また、スギ花粉エキスを用いた舌下免疫療法は、スギ花粉症のみならず、ヒノキ花粉症にも一定の効果があることが示唆された。ただし、ヒノキ花粉飛散期に症状が増悪する症例も存在することや、ヒノキ抗原特異的免疫反応の結果を考慮すると、今後ヒノキ花粉をターゲットとした免疫療法の開発が望まれる。