Allergy Desensitization Clinical Trial
Official title:
Immunological Mechanisms of Allergy Immunotherapy
The purpose of the study is to add to the knowledge of mechanisms of immune health. Parameters of the immune system will be followed over time in volunteers allergic to dust mites and bee sting after receiving immunization therapy. This information will be compared to healthy volunteers without allergy. We aim to bring new understanding of immune processes by this comparison.
The process of immunization as a treatment for allergic disease brings about changes that
are not all well understood and the understanding about them is developing constantly. In
our study we plan to check a large number of immunological parameters to broaden the scope
of knowledge of evaluating individuals for immune health across multiple sub fields of
medicine and for advancing a basic understanding of immune cell signaling.
The study will involve 70 participants between ages 18-45 of both sexes. Persons enrolled to
the study will have been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis caused by dust mite or persons who
developed a systemic reaction following bee sting who are candidates to be treated by
immunization.
After verification of diagnosis of allergic condition and decision to start immunizations,
blood samples will be drawn from participants before immunization weekly for 24 weeks. Blood
samples will be analyzed in order to identify immune cell subset differences that change in
response to allergy immunotherapy. Comparisons will be made of baseline and
stimulation-induced status of protein phosphorylation individuals over the time-series
course in which they receive allergy immunotherapy to pinpoint molecular mechanisms
underlying desensitization. Evaluations will be made of cellular mechanisms of allergy
immunotherapy by comparing over time and between groups, through serum cytokine profiling
and blood gene expression of individuals undergoing allergy immunotherapy shots.
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Observational Model: Case-Only, Time Perspective: Prospective