Immunogenicity in Guinea Pigs and Tolerance in Grass Pollen-Sensitive Volunteers of Enteric-Coated Grass Pollen Allergens

Abstract

An acid-insoluble, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate copolymer (Eudragit L-100) was used to give an enteric coating to a grass pollen extract in order to protect it against gastric degradation. Substantial protection against the degradative effects of simulated gastric secretion was demonstrated using this preparation which was well tolerated by grass pollen-allergic volunteers. The enteric-coated allergen induced a greater secondary antibody response than did an aqueous presentation when administered orally to guinea pigs which had been primed previously by subcutaneous injection. This result indicates that an effective hyposensitisation regimen could consist of a short series of initial parenteral injections, followed by an oral course of the protected allergen.

Recent advances in the use of nanoparticles for allergen‐specific immunotherapy

“…An interesting method to prepare nano‐sized peptide‐surfactant complexes by solid‐in‐oil nanodispersions with proteins was reported by two groups demonstrating facilitated skin penetration of the allergen peptide and suppressed IgE levels in mice . Oral treatment of presensitized guinea pigs with a copolymer of methacrylic acid and methylmethacrylate (Eudragit L‐100), which was used to give an enteric coating of grass pollen allergen extract in order to protect it against gastric degradation, induced increased secondary antibody responses compared to aqueous presentation . Oral treatment of ragweed‐sensitized patients with ragweed pollen extract encapsulated in polymethacrylic acid copolymer NPs led to the production of high allergen‐specific IgG and IgG4 titers while specific IgE antibodies were not increased.…”

Immunotherapy for allergies and asthma: present and future

“…The recombinant allergens for immunotherapy may be used as aqueous, enteric-coated, or liposome-packaged vaccines [41,42] or polymerized as recombinant allergoids using formaldehyde [43]. Polymerized recombinant allergens are antigenic but nonallergenic and therefore may improve allergen-specific immunotherapy.…”

Oral Hyposensitisation with Enteric-Coated Allergens as Extension Therapy following a Basic Subcutaneous Course of Injections

“…Pollen extract (1% w/w freeze-dried extract in Eudragit L100; Rohm and Hass) was film cast and filled in gelatin capsules, as de scribed in a previous publication [21]. Placebo capsules were also used.…”

“…The possibility that allergens might lose therapeu tic activity through exposure to intestinal digestive processes has been considered by a number of au thors; for instance, the lability of grass pollen aller gens in gastric conditions has been demonstrated re cently [21].…”

“…It has been recently shown in animals that a strong immunological stimulus can be achieved, particularly at secretory sites [3] by parenteral priming followed by oral boosting [5], and that this effect can be en hanced when enteric-coated antigen is used [21]. The current study was planned to test whether there might be therapeutic advantages in giving enteric-coated al lergens as maintenance immunotherapy following ba sic parenteral priming with a short schedule of tyrosine-adsorbed, glutaraldehyde-modified grass pollen extract (Pollinex).…”