Effect of intralymphatic allergen-specific immunotherapy on house dust mite in a murine model of allergic rhinitis

Background: Intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT) is a promising alternative for the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis, providing similar therapeutic efficacy to conventional allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). However, the allergic mechanism of ILIT is not completely known. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of ILIT in a house dust mite (HDM) mouse model of allergic rhinitis. Methods: BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: G1, control without allergy; G2, allergy sensitized with HDM; G3, allergy with ILIT (starting with HDM 1.25 mu g/mL); and G4, allergy with ILIT (starting with HDM 2.5 mu g/mL). After the murine model of allergic rhinitis with HDM was established, mice were administered an intralymphatic injection through the inguinal lymph nodes with HDM. Results: ILIT decreased serum total IgE level and eosinophil infiltration in the nasal mucosa. ILIT also decreased the expression levels of IL-13, IL-25, IL-33, IFN-gamma, IL-6, and IL-17, and increased the expression of FoxP3(+) T reg cells. Conclusions and significance: Our results suggest that ILIT regulates the specific immunotherapy immunologic mechanism by downregulating Th1, Th2, and Th17 cytokines and upregulating FoxP3(+) T reg cells in the HDM allergic mouse model.