Allergy Clin Immunol Research Articles

Immunogenicity of a third COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccine dose in primary immunodeficiency disorder patients with functional B-cell defects

Immunogenicity of a third COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccine dose in primary immunodeficiency disorder patients with functional B-cell defects

Graded coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine administration: A safe alternative to vaccine avoidance

Graded coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine administration: A safe alternative to vaccine avoidance

COVID-19 infection in hypereosinophilic syndrome: A survey-based analysis

COVID-19 infection in hypereosinophilic syndrome: A survey-based analysis

Antibody responses to 2 doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in pediatric patients with kidney diseases

Antibody responses to 2 doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in pediatric patients with kidney diseases

Prophylaxis with anti-activated factor XII for hereditary angioedema

Hereditary angioedema is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterised by recurrent, localised swellings in various tissues including the skin, genitals, abdomen, face, and oropharyngeal region. These attacks can be painful, debilitating, and life-threatening, substantially affecting quality of life. 1 Banerji A The burden of illness in patients with hereditary angioedema. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2013; 111: 329-336 Google Scholar , 2 Bork K Hardt J Witzke G Fatal laryngeal attacks and mortality in hereditary angioedema due to C1-INH deficiency. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012; 130: 692-697 Google Scholar Inadequate control of the contact system, consisting of factor XII (FXII), plasma kallikrein, and high molecular weight kininogen, results in excessive bradykinin formation, which increases vascular permeability and thus causes angioedema attacks. 3 Fijen LM Bork K Cohn DM Current and prospective targets of pharmacologic treatment of hereditary angioedema types 1 and 2. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2021; 61: 66-76 Google Scholar Prophylactic use of an anti-activated factor XII monoclonal antibody, garadacimab, for patients with C1-esterase inhibitor-deficient hereditary angioedema: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trialGaradacimab 200 mg and 600 mg every 4 weeks significantly reduced the number of monthly attacks versus placebo and was well tolerated during the study. Garadacimab is an efficacious, subcutaneous prophylaxis in patients with HAE-C1-INH and warrants phase 3 evaluation. Full-Text PDF

Timing of itch among children with atopic dermatitis

Itch is a subjective, defining symptom of atopic dermatitis (AD), which guides treatment decisions. 1 Fishbein AB Silverberg JI Wilson EJ Ong PY. Update on atopic dermatitis: diagnosis, severity assessment, and treatment selection. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2020; 8: 91-101 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (50) Google Scholar In pediatric patients, clinic visits center on patient or parent-proxy report of itch. One study of 100 adult and adolescent patients found self-report of itch worsening generally in the evening and night. 2 Yosipovitch G Goon AT Wee J Chan YH Zucker I Goh CL. Itch characteristics in Chinese patients with atopic dermatitis using a new questionnaire for the assessment of pruritus. Int J Dermatol. 2002; 41: 212-216 Crossref PubMed Scopus (164) Google Scholar Timing of itch is one feature of AD to which treatment in children could be targeted. Nevertheless, there have been no pediatric studies evaluating itch timing. Given the frequency of sleep disturbance in AD and our clinical experience, 3 Fishbein AB Knutson KL Zee PC. Circadian disruption and human health. J Clin Invest. 2021; 131 Crossref PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar we hypothesized that pediatric patients experience greater nighttime itch in AD.

COVID-19 vaccination in the setting of mastocytosis—Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine is safe and well tolerated

COVID-19 vaccination in the setting of mastocytosis—Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine is safe and well tolerated

Safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with clonal mast cell disorders

Safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with clonal mast cell disorders

Disease characteristics, comorbidities, treatment patterns and quality of life impact in children

Disease characteristics, comorbidities, treatment patterns and quality of life impact in children <12 years old with atopic dermatitis: Interim results from the PEDISTAD Real-World Registry

Disseminated tense bullae on newborn

Disseminated tense bullae on newborn

A case of normal C1 esterase inhibitor hereditary angioedema successfully treated with berotralstat

A case of normal C1 esterase inhibitor hereditary angioedema successfully treated with berotralstat

The effect of biologic therapy for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases on clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in the greater Houston area: A retrospective chart review

The effect of biologic therapy for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases on clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in the greater Houston area: A retrospective chart review

Mass Cytometry Analysis of Whole Blood Response to an Allergen.

Mass cytometry allows for the use of highly multiplexed antibody panels due to the lack of spill-over between channels detected by mass spectrometry. An advantage over fluorescence cytometry is the relative lack of background, which provides excellent resolution for detection of phosphoproteins and quantification of cell signaling. We have applied mass cytometry to the analysis of whole blood staining after ex vivo stimulation with peanut allergen (Tordesillas et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 138:1741-4.e9, 2016). This allows for high-dimensional analysis of basophil activation, and analysis of the entire composition of the blood compartment in response to allergen exposure. Here, we describe our optimized protocol for activation and staining of whole blood for mass cytometry analysis that is currently in use in multicenter clinical trials. The protocol can be easily adopted to analyze blood leukocytes in other diseases, including asthma.

Measurement of Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Mice.

Asthma has been the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease (Mensah et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol 142:744-748, 2018). To explore pathogenic mechanism or new treatments of asthma, mice have been utilized to model the disease. Eosinophilic airway inflammation, allergen specific-IgE, and airway hyperresponsiveness have been characteristic features of allergic asthma (Drake et al. Pulm Ther 5:103-115, 2019). In mouse models, airway hyperresponsiveness to inhaled broncho-constrictor agents such as methacholine chloride (MCh) has been a key disease marker (Alessandrini et al. Front Immunol 11:575936, 2020). A variety of systems to assess airway reactivity in mice are currently available. Here, three distinct systems are described as these have been used in many publications. In the first system, an invasive system in which mice are anesthetized and intubated followed by mechanical ventilation, lung resistance (R), dynamic compliance (C), and other respiratory parameters with MCh challenge are measured. In the second system, a noninvasive system equipped with a chamber in which mice can move freely and spontaneously breathe, changes in airways with MCh challenge are measured as enhanced pause (Penh) values. In the third system, in vitro airway smooth muscle (ASM) reactivity is monitored in an extracted mouse tracheal duct with a cholinergic agonist challenge or electrical stimulation. Each of these systems has unique features, benefits, or disadvantages.

COVID-19 triggers attacks in HAE patients without worsening disease outcome

COVID-19 triggers attacks in HAE patients without worsening disease outcome

Antimicrobial Late Cornified Envelope Proteins: The Psoriasis Risk Factor Deletion of LCE3B/C Genes Affects Microbiota Composition

Late cornified envelope proteins are predominantly expressed in the skin and other cornified epithelia. On the basis of sequence similarity, this 18-member homologous gene family has been subdivided into six groups. The LCE3 proteins have been the focus of dermatological research because the combined deletion of LCE3B and LCE3C genes (LCE3B/C-del) is a risk factor for psoriasis. We previously reported that LCE3B/C-del increases the expression of the LCE3A gene and that LCE3 proteins exert antibacterial activity. In this study, we analyzed the antimicrobial properties of other family members and the role of LCE3B/C-del in the modulation of microbiota composition of the skin and oral cavity. Differences in killing efficiency and specificity between the late cornified envelope proteins and their target microbes were found, and the amino acid content rather than the order of the well-conserved central domain of the LCE3A protein was found responsible for its antibacterial activity. Invivo, LCE3B/C-del correlated with a higher beta-diversity in the skin and oral microbiota. From these results, we conclude that all late cornified envelope proteins possess antimicrobial activity. Tissue-specific and genotype-dependent antimicrobial protein profiles impact skin and oral microbiota composition, which could direct toward LCE3B/C-del‒associated dysbiosis and a possible role for microbiota in the pathophysiology of psoriasis.

Safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with polyethylene glycol allergy: A case series

Safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with polyethylene glycol allergy: A case series

Low IgG trough and lymphocyte subset counts are associated with hospitalization for COVID-19 in patients with primary antibody deficiency

Low IgG trough and lymphocyte subset counts are associated with hospitalization for COVID-19 in patients with primary antibody deficiency

Is surgery for severe type 2 nasal polyps safe under the treatment with biologics?

In approximately 85% of US and European patients with uncontrolled severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), the sinonasal mucosal tissues express increased concentrations of type 2 inflammatory interleukins (IL)-4, IL-5, and polyclonal immunoglobulin E (IgE). 1 Bachert C Marple B Schlosser RJ et al. Adult chronic rhinosinusitis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2020; 6: 86 Crossref PubMed Scopus (44) Google Scholar Well-designed phase 3 multicenter trials with type 2 targeted monoclonal antibodies have proved that biologic therapy may offer new treatment strategies for patients with severe type 2 CRSwNP who were not controlled by a standard of care. 2 Gevaert P Omachi TA Corren J et al. Efficacy and safety of omalizumab in nasal polyposis: 2 randomized phase 3 trials. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020; 146: 595-605 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (180) Google Scholar ,3 Han JK Bachert C Fokkens W et al. Mepolizumab for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (SYNAPSE): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2021; 9: 1141-1153 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (83) Google Scholar However, as biologics will not lead to a response in all patients, 2 Gevaert P Omachi TA Corren J et al. Efficacy and safety of omalizumab in nasal polyposis: 2 randomized phase 3 trials. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020; 146: 595-605 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (180) Google Scholar , 3 Han JK Bachert C Fokkens W et al. Mepolizumab for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (SYNAPSE): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2021; 9: 1141-1153 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (83) Google Scholar , 4 Bachert C Han JK Desrosiers M et al. Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (Liberty NP SINUS-24 and Liberty NP SINUS-52): results from two multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase 3 trials. Lancet. 2019; 394: 1638-1650 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (443) Google Scholar there still were patients with remaining polyp mass who needed to undergo surgery. The patient information leaflet of these biologics does not describe the consequences of performing sinus surgery in a patient on biologic treatment. Recently, a European expert opinion indicated that when the controlling level of the disease was not satisfied among patients after 6 months of biologics treatment, a “salvage surgery under biologic protection” might be considered to remove the remaining polyps. 5 Bachert C Han JK Wagenmann M et al. EUFOREA expert board meeting on uncontrolled severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and biologics: definitions and management. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2021; 147: 29-36 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (59) Google Scholar However, the benefit and the safety of surgery in this situation have not been found clearly. Furthermore, type 2 targeted biologics could decrease the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor in nasal tissue, 6 Cavaliere C Masieri S Greco A Lambiase A Segatto M. Nasal expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors is reduced by mepolizumab in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2021; 126: 442-443 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3) Google Scholar which might increase the potential of hemorrhage. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the safety of performing sinus surgery in patients currently treated with type 2 biologics, and exclude increased risks associated with sinus surgery or disturbed postoperative wound healing, to develop optimized care pathways. 7 Bachert C Zhang N Cavaliere C Weiping W Gevaert E Krysko O. Biologics for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020; 145: 725-739 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (55) Google Scholar

Emergency department visits for vaccine-related severe allergic reactions among US adults: 2006-2018

Emergency department visits for vaccine-related severe allergic reactions among US adults: 2006-2018