Increased IL-4 and decreased regulatory cytokine production following relocation of Icelandic horses from a high to low endoparasite environment

Developing a preventive immunization approach against insect bite hypersensitivity using recombinant allergens: A pilot study

“…Our findings regarding the immune response and pathogenesis in IBH suggest that Th2 type, IgE-mediated immune reactions are involved to a much stronger extent in Icelandic horses than in some other breeds, and after export there is an imbalance between Th1, Th2 and T regulatory cells (Treg) (Hamza et al, , 2010Heimann et al, 2011). It should therefore be possible to rebalance the Th1:Th2:Treg responses and restrain the inflammatory mechanisms by strengthening the Treg response specific to the allergens using immunotherapy.…”

Influences of age and sex on leukocytes of healthy horses and their ex vivo cytokine release

“…Proliferative capacities and cytokine production of peripheral cells in horses have been employed as biomarkers in different areas of research, such as laminitis (Hurley et al, 2006;Wray et al, 2013), hypersensitivities (McKelvie et al, 1999;Cordeau et al, 2004;Hamza et al, 2010;Lavoie-Lamoureux et al, 2012b), infections (Edmonds et al, 2001;Hubert et al, 2004;Breathnach et al, 2005;Brault et al, 2010;Soboll Hussey et al, 2011), sepsis (Burton et al, 2009), and aging Katepalli et al, 2008).…”

“…A range of applications have been utilised for cytokine determinations in leukocytes of healthy horses, including mRNA-expression analyses of cytokines (Edmonds et al, 2001;Ainsworth et al, 2003;Vick et al, 2007;Adams et al, 2008Adams et al, , 2009Svansson et al, 2009), intracellular immunofluorescence (Adams et al, , 2009Hamza et al, 2010), and ELISA or bead-based analyses of cell culture supernatants (Desjardins et al, 2004;Adams et al, 2008Adams et al, , 2009Hamza et al, 2010) or serum (Vick et al, 2007;Lavoie-Lamoureux et al, 2012a,b). In general, reference values for the cytokines expressed are lacking and comparability is hampered by the differences in experimental conditions and assay systems used.…”

Seasonal differences in cytokine expression in the skin of Shetland ponies suffering from insect bite hypersensitivity

“…On the other hand, IL10 mRNA levels were lower in lesional compared to non-lesional skin, but this difference was not statistically significant (Heimann et al, 2011). An increase in IL4 mRNA production with a concomitant decrease in IFNγ mRNA production by cultured equine PBMC was observed during the IBH season (Hamza et al, 2007, Hamza et al, 2008, Hamza et al, 2010.…”