Celiac Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Celiac Disease, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, causes, diet.

Intestinal cytokine mRNA expression in delayed-type cow's milk allergy.

Paajanen L, Kokkonen J, Karttunen TJ, Tuure T, Korpela R, Vaarala O

Foundation for Nutrition Research, Helsinki, Finland. laura.paajanen@helsinki.fi

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the characteristics of intestinal immune activation (ie, a chemokine receptor and cytokine expression profile) in delayed-type cow's milk allergy (CMA) appearing in the form of gastrointestinal symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all biopsy samples taken from the duodenum and/or the terminal ileum, 30 were studied for the expression of interferon-gamma, transforming growth factor-beta, chemokine receptor (CCR)-4, CCR-5, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p35, IL-12p40 and IL-18 specific mRNA by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in 26 children ages 3 to 15 years: 10 with untreated delayed-type CMA, 6 with celiac disease (CD) and 10 controls. RESULTS: The children with delayed-type CMA showed lower IL-2 and IL-18 mRNA expression in the duodenum (both P = 0.055) and higher CCR-4 and IL-6 mRNA expression in the terminal ileum (P = 0.055, P = 0.016) compared with the controls. The children with CD exhibited slightly higher expression of interferon-gamma and CCR-4 mRNA (P = 0.054, P = 0.053) and lower expression of IL-18 mRNA (P = 0.004) in the duodenal samples compared with the controls. The mRNA expression levels of regulatory cytokines, transforming growth factor-beta and IL-10 remained similar in all 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: The children with delayed-type gastrointestinal CMA showed a unique pattern of local intestinal hypersensitivity with Th2 response-related characteristics, a profile differing clearly from the children with CD.

Published 11 October 2006 in J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 43(4): 470-6.
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