Allergen immunotherapy using recombinant Culicoides allergens improves clinical signs of equine insect bite hypersensitivity.
Abstract: Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an IgE-mediated allergic dermatitis of horses caused by bites of spp., sharing some common features with human atopic dermatitis. Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) using whole-body extracts has limited efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate AIT with a pool of major recombinant allergens in a prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. Unassigned: The IBH lesion score was assessed during a pre-treatment year and first treatment year (May-October) in 17 horses and in May and July of a second treatment year. Nine horses were immunized subcutaneously 3× with a combination of nine r-allergens (20 μg each/injection) in alum and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA). Eight horses received a placebo. The immunization was repeated twice the following year. The specific antibody response to one of the AIT r-allergens was assessed. Unassigned: In the first treatment year, the decrease in average IBH lesion score was significantly larger in the AIT compared to the placebo group, with 67% of the AIT group and 25% of the placebo horses reaching >50% improvement of the average IBH lesion score. The response to the AIT was enhanced in the 2nd treatment year when 89% of the AIT vs. 14% of the placebo horses showed an improvement ( ≤ 0.01). IgG antibodies of all subclasses were induced, with IgG4/7 showing the most significant differences between groups. The post-AIT sera showed IgE blocking activity. Unassigned: AIT using only a few injections of small amounts of r-allergens in alum and MPLA as immunomodulators seems a promising approach for the treatment of insect bite allergy.
© 2024 Graner, Mueller, Geisler, Bogenstätter, White, Jonsdottir and Marti.
Publication Date: 2024-09-30 PubMed ID: 39403119PubMed Central: PMC11471737DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2024.1467245Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research investigates the use of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) with recombinant Culicoides allergens to lessen the effects of insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) in horses. The results indicate that this method was more effective than a placebo in reducing IBH symptoms, particularly in the second year of treatment.
Research Objective and Methodology
- The study aimed to explore the effectiveness of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) using recombinant allergens from the Culicoides species of insects. These insects are known to cause insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), a skin disorder in horses triggered by insect bites.
- This research used a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study design to maintain the objectivity of its results.
- The IBH lesion score (a measure of the severity of the skin disorder) of 17 horses was monitored over a pre-treatment year and the first year of treatment.
- Nine horses were injected subcutaneously with a mix of nine recombinant allergens (r-allergens), while the remaining eight received a placebo.
- The treatment and monitoring process was repeated for two subsequent years, and the specific antibody response of the horses to one of the AIT r-allergens was evaluated.
Findings
- In the first year of treatment, the horses that received AIT demonstrated a more significant decrease in their average IBH lesion score compared to those administered the placebo.
- Moreover, 67% of the horses in the AIT group showed a more than 50% improvement in their average IBH lesion score, in contrast to just 25% in the placebo group.
- In the second treatment year, the positive response to AIT increased, with 89% of the horses in the AIT group showing improvement compared to 14% in the placebo group.
- The AIT treatment also resulted in the induction of antibodies for all subclasses, with IgG4/7 showcasing the highest difference between the two groups. Additionally, the sera post-AIT exhibited IgE blocking activity.
Conclusion
- The findings suggest that allergen immunotherapy utilizing small amounts of r-allergens in conjunction with immunomodulators such as alum and monophosphoryl lipid A may be a promising solution for treating insect bite allergies, particularly in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Graner A, Mueller RS, Geisler J, Bogenstätter D, White SJ, Jonsdottir S, Marti E.
(2024).
Allergen immunotherapy using recombinant Culicoides allergens improves clinical signs of equine insect bite hypersensitivity.
Front Allergy, 5, 1467245.
https://doi.org/10.3389/falgy.2024.1467245 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Clinical Immunology Group, Division of Neurological Sciences, Department of Clinical Research-VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Clinical Immunology Group, Division of Neurological Sciences, Department of Clinical Research-VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Centre for Applied Innovation, York St John University, York, United Kingdom.
- Institute for Experimental Pathology, Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Keldur, Reykjavik, Iceland.
- Clinical Immunology Group, Division of Neurological Sciences, Department of Clinical Research-VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Conflict of Interest Statement
RM received research support, or consulted or lectured for Nextmune, Synlab, and Heska Laboratories (all of which provide commercial allergen immunotherapy formulations). The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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