Allergen-based peptide immunotherapy is associated with functional modifications in allergen-specific T-cell subpopulations

RationaleTo characterize changes in T-cell responses to allergen following peptide-based immunotherapy (PIT) in cat-allergic subjects.MethodsPBMC (0.5×106 per 200 μl/well), obtained from cat-allergic volunteers before and after PIT, were labelled with 0.5 μM carboxyfluorescein diacetate-succinimidyl ester (CFSE) and stimulated with or without whole cat dander-allergen extract (30 μg/ml), or immobilised α-CD3/α-CD28 (5 μg/ml each). Culture …