Interferon-gamma and IL-10 may protect from allergic polysensitization in children: preliminary evidence

To cite this article: Prigione I, Morandi F, Tosca MA, Silvestri M, Pistoia V, Ciprandi G, Rossi GA. Interferon-gamma and IL-10 may protect from allergic polysensitization in children: preliminary evidence. Allergy 2010; 65: 740-742. A functional defect of T regulatory cells (Treg) has been proposed as pathogenic mechanism of allergic reaction. Polysensitization is a common feature of allergic patients. It was to investigate the possible role of Treg-Th1 cytokines, in the development of new sensitizations in childhood. Forty monosensitized (MS) children with allergic rhinitis were evaluated and followed-up for 2 years. New sensitizations were investigated. IL-10 and IFN-γ were evaluated in in vitro experiments. Children remaining MS showed significant higher production of both IL-10 and IFN-γ. This preliminary study provided evidence that IL-10 and IFN-γ production could be defective in allergic children prone to develop polysensitization.