1: Clin Exp Allergy. 2007 Aug;37(8):1250-8.

Intranasal delivery of whole influenza vaccine prevents subsequent
allergen-induced sensitization and airway hyper-reactivity in mice.

Minne A, Jaworska J, Gerhold K, Ahrens B, Avagyan A, Vanbever R, Matricardi PM,
Schmidt AC, Hamelmann E.

Department for Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité University Medicine, 
Berlin, Germany.

BACKGROUND: Infection with influenza virus has been associated with seemingly
opposing effects on the development of asthma. However, there are no data about
the effects of mucosal vaccination with inactivated influenza on the inception of
allergic asthma. OBJECTIVE: To assess the immunological effects of inhaled
inactivated influenza vaccine, using two different types of flu vaccines, on the 
inception of allergic sensitization and allergen-mediated airway disease in a
mouse model. METHODS: BALB/c mice were intranasally or intratracheally vaccinated
with whole or split influenza virus vaccine (days -1 or -1, 27) before systemic
sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA) (days 1, 14) and repeated airway allergen
challenges (days 28-30). Allergen sensitization (IgE serum levels), airway
inflammation (differential cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) and airway
hyper-reactivity (AHR) (in vivo lung function) were analysed. RESULTS: The
intranasal instillation of whole influenza vaccine before allergen sensitization 
significantly reduced the serum levels of total and OVA-specific IgE as well as
allergen-induced AHR. Prevention was due to an allergen-specific shift from a
predominant T helper (Th)2- towards a Th1-immune response. Application of split
influenza vaccine did not show the same preventive effect. CONCLUSION: Intranasal
administration of inactivated whole influenza vaccine reduced subsequent allergen
sensitization and prevented allergen-induced AHR. Our results show that the
composition of the influenza vaccine has a major influence on subsequent
development of allergen-induced sensitization and AHR, and suggest that mucosal
inactivated whole influenza vaccination may represent a step towards the
development of a preventive strategy for atopic asthma.

PMID: 17651156 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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