Impact on allergic immune response after treatment with vitamin A.

Victor Matheu,Ysamar Barrios,Yvelise Barrios,Ove Back,Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas,Shohreh Issazadeh-Navikas,Jose M Zubeldia,Karin Berggård,Maria L Baeza,Maria-Rosa Arnau

doi:10.1186/1743-7075-6-44

Abstract

BackgroundVitamin A may have some influence on the immune system, but the role in allergy modulation is still unclear.ObjectiveTo clarify whether high levels of retinoic acid (RA) affects allergic response in vivo, we used a murine experimental model of airway allergic disease.MethodsOvalbumin (OVA)-immunization/OVA-challenge (OVA/OVA) and house dust mite (HDM)-immunization/HDM-challenge (HDM/HDM) experimental murine models of allergic airway disease, using C57Bl.10/Q groups of mice (n = 10) treated subcutaneously with different concentrations of all-trans RA (0, 50, 500 and 2,500 ug) every 2-days were used to assess the allergic immune response.ResultsLevels of total and specific-IgE in sera were increased in all groups of RA treated OVA/OVA and HDM/HDM mice. Percentage and total amount of recruited eosinophil in airways by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were significantly enhanced in groups treated with 50, 500 and 2,500 ug of RA compared to non-treated mice. However, the group of mice treated with 2,500 ug had less eosinophil recruitment than the other two groups (50 and 500 ug). In parallel, levels of IL-5 and total IgE in BALF were also significantly diminished in the group treated with 2,500 ug compared to the other 2 groups (50 and 500 ug). Finally, total lung resistance was decreased in group treated with 2,500 ug compared to non-treated mice.ConclusionOur results suggest that retinoic acid directly enhances allergic response in vivo, but in higher doses may produce of immune suppression.

Highlights

The incidence of atopic diseases can be considered epidemic [1], sensitization rate is invariant, the prevalence has peaked in some regions [2] and an increase has been recorded in several developing countries [3]
Action of vitamin A, so called retinol, is mediated over antigen presenting cells (APC) through specific intracellular retinoid acid receptors (RAR) [10] and retinoid × receptors (RXR)[11], which are present in the immune cells [12]
Cell profile in airways after treatment with alltransretinoic acid has dose-dependent effect To determine whether administration of different doses of ATRA during all protocol could have any influence in the development of allergic airway phenotype, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected in every mouse

Summary

Introduction

The incidence of atopic diseases can be considered epidemic [1], sensitization rate is invariant, the prevalence has peaked in some regions [2] and an increase has been recorded in several developing countries [3]. Some epidemiological studies have found that the highest prevalence for asthma symptoms was mainly in Western countries. These findings have raised the possibility of genetic factors and mainly that environmental factors relating to living conditions in these countries are important [4], such as westernized life style in which air pollution and the consumption of lots of additives/preservatives can be involved. The presence of enriched foodstuffs with several elements, such as fat-soluble vitamins, is one of the differences between developing and developed countries. The influence of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin D or A, on the immune system have been recently studied [5]. Vitamin A may have some influence on the immune system, but the role in allergy modulation is still unclear

Methods

Results

Conclusion