Oral
immunotherapy (OIT) is a promising therapeutic approach for treating
food allergy. Past studies have shown that OIT reduces allergic response only in severe
allergy model mice. We worked to establish mild
allergy model mice, and investigated whether 'rush' OIT for 10 d improved the allergic response and
biomarkers in these mice. Balb/c mice were sensitized to
ovomucoid (OM) in
alum. The rush OIT was done for 10 d. Oral OM challenge was used to determine the impact of OIT on the allergic response. We measured allergic
biomarkers, such as vascular permeability in the skin, plasma levels of total
IgE, OM-specific
IgE,
IgG1 and
IgG2a and
cytokines in splenocyte culture supernatant. OIT for 10 d did not improve
allergy symptoms and increased vascular permeability. Total
IgE in the plasma of OIT-treated mice was significantly higher than in that of non-treated mice. OM-specific
IgG1 and
IgG2a plasma levels were not significantly different between OIT-treated and non-treated mice. Among the
cytokine secretion of splenocyte from OIT-treated mice, IFN-γ and
IL-10 were significantly lower than in non-treated mice, and
IL-4 and
IL-5 were significantly higher. Total TGF-β in the OIT-treated group was not detected. The IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio of the OIT-treated group was about 1/8 that of the non-treated group. OIT for 10 d was not effective and some
biomarkers showed negative responses in the mild
allergy model mice. We suggest OIT should be used very carefully as this treatment carries a risk of worsening
allergy symptoms for mice with mild
allergy.