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màj : 21/07/98

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New therapeutic approaches for allergic diseases of the respiratory tract
Nouvelles approches thérapeutiques pour le traitement des
affections allergiques des voies aériennes

 Paris, April 1 - 4, 1998

Chairpersons : Stephen T. Holgate (University of Southampton, Southampton, United-Kingdom), Charles Naspitz (Escola Paulista de Medicina, Sao Paulo, Brazil), B. Boris Vargaftig (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France)

Preceded on April 1 (5-7 p.m.) by a " Perspectives of Allergy " Symposium on " Rhinitis: mechanisms and management "* chaired by Bernard David (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France) and Steven R. Durham (Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, London, United-Kingdom)

Speakers: P. Howarth (U.K.): Pathophysiology of rhinitis: rationale approach to therapy - S. Durham (U.K.): Allergen avoidance and immunotherapy - G. W. Canonica,(Italy): Antihistamines: efficacy and safety - N. Nygink (DK): Topical corticosteroids: What’s new? - S. Durham (U.K.): Panel discussion: rhinitis guidelines.

* Sponsored/Soutenu par by the International Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, through an educational grant provided by Hoechst Marion Roussel

and followed on the morning of April 4 by a Satellite on " Progress in Molecular Diagnostics of Allergy " chaired by G. Peltre (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France)

Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Contact : Ludovic Drye, Institut Pasteur,
C.I.S., 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15 France
Fax 33 1 40 61 34 05 - E.mail :
l. Drye
http://www.pasteur.fr/Conf/euroconf.html

October 15-17 1997 : EuroConference on Cytokines
    ( http://www.asmanet.com/cytokine.html )
April 1- 4 1998 : EuroConference on New Therapeutic Approaches for
    Allergic Diseases of the Respiratory Tract
( http://www.asmanet.com/allergic-diseases.html )

...

 

PRESENTATION

Allergic diseases of the human respiratory tract, mainly asthma, are among the most common chronic diseases and are responsible for a large amount of health care spending. For yet unknown reasons, their prevalence, already high, is increasing in most countries. Since the development of topical corticosteroids, few important discoveries with therapeutic implications for those diseases have been made. By contrast, important progresses were obtained in the recognition of the inflammatory and immunological components of the allergic response as the basis for the different functional and structural changes in the airways.

This Institut Pasteur Euroconference will review the economy, the epidemiology and physiopathology, the role of lipid mediators and cytokines, of lymphocytes and eosinophils, the neural control of the airways, the role of adhesion molecules, the role of inhaled substances (allergens, endotoxins).

Emphasis will be made on therapeutical consequences. Indeed, the increasing knowledge of this complex multifactorial interaction should lead to the development of new therapeutic interventions and to a better understanding of the mode of action of the classical treatments. This Conference will provide a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of this fascinating field and of its pharmacological and therapeutic implications.

Les maladies allergiques des voies aériennes, particulièrement l’asthme, comptent parmi les maladies les plus répandues et sont responsables d’un coût médico-social considérable. Pour des raisons mal comprises, leur prévalence, déjà élevée, augmente dans la majorité des pays. Peu d’innovations thérapeutiques ont suivi l’introduction des glucocorticostéroïdes d’action locale, mais des progrès considérables ont été effectués dans la compréhension des mécanismes inflammatoires et immunologiques de la réponse allergique, en tant que substrat pour les modifications fonctionnelles et structurelles des voies aériennes.

Cette EuroConference de l'Institut Pasteur sera l’occasion de revoir l’épidémiologie et la physiopathologie, le rôle des médiateurs lipidiques et des cytokines, des lymphocytes et éosinophiles, la modulation nerveuse des voies aériennes, le rôle des protéines d’adhérence et des substances inhalées, allergènes et endotoxines.

La reconnaissance croissante de ces interactions complexes, devra permettre le développement de nouvelles modalités d’intervention thérapeutique et une meilleure compréhension du mode d’action des traitements connus. Cette Conférence assurera ainsi une revue générale et globale du sujet, notamment de ses implications pharmacologiques et thérapeutiques.


Wednesday April 1, 1998

04:00 - 05:00 p.m.

Registration of the participants (I)

Thursday April 2, 1998

7:45 - 8:25 a.m.

Registration of the participants (II)

8:25 - 8:30 a.m.

Presentation of the Euro Conferences by B. Boris VARGAFTIG, Member of the Board of Directors, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

8:30 - 9:10 a.m.

The roots of respiratory allergy in early life.
Dramatic increases have been recently observed in the prevalence of respiratory allergies, especially in developed countries. Recent evidence also suggests that in most cases of respiratory allergies, symptoms initiate very early in life. It is thus likely that recent environmental changes which affect very young children may be responsible for those increases in prevalence. Paradoxically, infant morbidity and mortality are at their lowest levels ever, and standards of preventive care for common respiratory diseases in childhood are almost invariably excellent in developed countries. Primary prevention of this new breed of common illnesses is a major challenge for medicine in the 21st century.
Fernando D. Martinez
The University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ, USA

Introduction to immune mechanisms

9:10 - 9:40 a.m.

lmmunologic Targets for Therapeutic Interventions.
Recent research has emphasised the importance of immune deviation of T cells in the Th-2 mediated inflammatory response of chronic mucosal allergic disease. Dendritic cells as professional antigen presenting cells are particularly important. The mechanisms involved in antigen processing, cytokine production and the critical requirement for co-stimulatory molecules such as B7/CD28 will be discussed in relation to new targets for therapeutic intervention in the initiation and propagation of the chronic inflammation response. Finally reference will he made to the inflammatory repair cycle and the role of the epithelium, endothelium and fibroblasts in providing additional signals that enhance disease progression.
Stephen T. Holgate
University of Southampton
Southampton , U.K.

9:40 - 10:10 a.m.

Epidemiology of respiratory allergic diseases.

The prevalence of asthma is as high as 8 to 10% in adults, 10 to 15% in childhood; the prevalence of rhinitis is up to 20%; the prevalence of atopy, as assessed by at least one positive skin prick test to aeroallergen, appears to be as high as 40 or 45%. The prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases is increasing and is doubling every 10 years. There is difference between countries but the rate of increase seems to be a general situation. Most of the authors hypothetize that environmental factors explain mainly this phenomenon. There are several hypothesis: infection, pollution, indoor pollution. Our knowledge has to increase rapidly in order to propose a better primary prevention to our patients and their family.

Epidémiologie des maladies allergiques respiratoires.

La prévalence de l'asthme est d'environ 8 à 10 % chez l'adulte et 10 à 15% chez l'enfant ; celle de la rhinite est de 20 % et celle de l'atopie (évaluée par un test cutané positif pour au moins un allergène de l'environnement) de 45 %. Cette prévalence augmente et double tous les 10 ans. Il y a des différences régionales, mais l'augmentation semble être un phénomène général. La plupart des auteurs estiment que les facteurs environnementaux expliquent ces données. Plusieurs hypothèses ont été proposées: infection, pollution, pollution intérieure. Nos connaissances doivent s'améliorer rapidement pour pouvoir proposer des mesures de prévention primaire à nos malades et leur famille.

Philippe GODARD
Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve
Montpellier, France.

10:10 - 10:30 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:30 - 11:10 a.m.

Differing patterns of T-cell memory development against inhaled allergens in atopics versus normals: implications for the design of new prophylactic and therapeutic strategies.
T-cell priming against ubiquitous inhalant allergens commonly occurs during late intrauterine life. These responses are subsequently reshaped by direct postnatal exposure to allergens, particularly between birth and age 5yrs, resulting in either further boosting of Th2 immunity, immune deviation towards the Thl compartment, or (less commonly) development of unresponsiveness via T-cell deletion/anergy. The efficiency of selection against Th2 memory appears related to the kinetics of postnatal maturation Thl -associated immune functions, at the level of the T-cell compartment itself and/or the APCs. These findings point to a potential prophylactic/therapeutic " window " in early life, that may afford novel opportunities for primary prevention of allergic respiratory diseases.
Patrick G. Holt
TVW Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
West Perth, Western Australia.

Genetics and antibodies

11:10 - 11:40 a.m.

Genetics and gene discovery.
Asthma and atopy are familial. Susceptibility to these illnesses is due to genetic factors interacting with the environment. Identification of the genes underlying asthma will lead to improvements in the diagnosis and classification of the disease. Genetics will distinguish targets for focussed drug development and effective therapy of asthma. Identification of genetically susceptible infants will make possible the prevention of disease. A number of genes have already been identified contributing to the asthmatic state: these include the Fc[epsilon]RI-[beta], TNF, HLA-DR and TCR a loci. Positional cloning methods are now being used in an international effort to identify all the major genetic influences on asthma.
William Cookson   (see also http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/~.awalley.ndm.medicine/cookson.htm )
University of Oxford - John Radcliffe Hospital
Oxford, U.K.

11:40 - 12:20 p.m.

Anti-Ige Treatment of Allergic Airway Disease.
Antigen binding to IgE on mast cells in the respiratory tract is thought to trigger the release of mediators responsible for the early, and possibly also the late response to allergen challenge. To examine the possible clinical benefit of reducing levels of IgE, the effects of treatment with a monoclonal, non-anaphylactgenic anti-IgE antibody directed against the region on the Fc portion that binds to Fc[epsilon]R1 and Fc[epsilon]R2 receptors. Treatment with this anti-IgE Mab reduced serum IgE to undetectable levels and markedly reduced not only the immediate bronchoconstriction provoked by allergen challenge in asthmatic subjects, but the late response as well. Trends toward reductions in antigen-induced sputum eosinophilia and bronchial hyper-reactivity were also apparent. Studies of the effects of anti-IgE treatment in murine models of allergic inflammation suggest that the reduction in the late response and in airway eosinophilic inflammation may be due to inhibition of IgE-focusing of antigen presentation to Th2 cells, rather than to inhibition of mast cell activation. Trials of the clinical efficacy of anti-IgE treatment in chronic severe asthma are now on-going .
Homer A. Boushey
Asthma Clinical Research Center
University of California,
San Francisco, CA, USA

12:20 - 12:25 p.m.

Group photo

12:25 - 01:45

p.m. Lunch

01:45 - 02:15 p.m.

Small molecule antogonists of a4 integrins: novel drugs for asthma.
The integrin a4b1 is a heterodimeric cell surface molecule central to
leukocyte-cell and leukocyte matrix adhesive interactions. We have designed
selective a4 integrin small molecule antagonists, some with subnanomolar
potencies in vitro. These molecules are efficacious in vivo in both murine and sheep models of allergic asthma. One compound, designated BIO1673, has steroid-like properties in the sheep model. It has been selected as a clinical candidate and its efficacy will be evaluated in human asthmatics in the near future.
Roy Lobb
Biogen Inc.
Cambridge, MA, USA

Pharmacological management (I)

02:15 - 02:45 p.m.

The Role of Antihistamines in the Management of Respiratory Allergy.

Antihistamines (Hl-receptor antagonists) play a major role in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. They work primarily by blocking the effects of histamine at Hl receptors on precapillary venules and on sensory nerves, and by relieving rhinorrhea, sneezing, and nasal itching, but not congestion. Although old and new Hl-antagonists generally have similar efficacy, the latter are less likely to cross the blood-brain barrier, block the neurotransmitter effects of histamine in the central nervous system, and produce somnolence or impair performance. Rarely, astemizole or terfenadine may prolong the QTc interval and cause cardiac arrhythmias. In contrast to their important role in allergic rhinitis treatment, in chronic asthma treatment, H l-antagonists have a minimal beneficial effect.

Le rôle des antihistaminiques dans les maladies respiratoires allergiques.

Les antihistaminiques (antagonistes des récepteurs H1) jouent un rôle majeur dans le traitement de la rhinite allergique. Ils agissent essentiellement en bloquant les effets de l'histamine sur les récepteurs H1 au niveau des vénules précapillaires et des nerfs sensitifs et réduisent ainsi la rhinorrhée, les éternuements et les démangeaisons nasales sans néanmoins affecter la congestion. Même si des antagonistes anciens ou plus récents montrent des effets similaires, ces derniers croisent moins la barrière hémato-encéphalique et interagissent moins avec les effets de l'histamine en tant que neurotransmetteur dans le système nerveux central; ils induisent ainsi moins de somnolence et affectent moins les performances. Rarement, l'astemizole ou la terfenadine peuvent prolonger l'intervalle QTc et provoquer des arythmies cardiaques. Contrairement à leur rôle dans le traitement de la rhinite allergique, les antagonistes H1 n'ont qu'un effet marginal dans l'asthme chronique.

F. Estelle R. Simons
The University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Canada

02:45 - 03:15 p.m.

Beta agonists: present use and controversies.
Beta agonists are the oldest, over 5000 years ago with the Chinese herb " ma huang ", and the most widely used drugs for the treatment of asthma. Despite this, several controversies continue regarding its use. Questions regarding daily use, development of tolerance, use at stoichiometric isomers, effects on the development of increased bronchial hyperreactivity and specific drug versus class effects are raised in the literature regularly. This presentation will attempt to raise these issues for further discussion and thougth.
David G. Tinkelman
National Jewish Medical and Research Center
Denver, Colorado, USA.

03:15 - 03:30 p.m.

Tea break

03:30- 04:00 p.m.

Muscarinic receptor subtypes in airways.
Anticholinergic drugs are the most effective bronchodilators in COPD as vagal cholinergic tone is the only reversible element. These drugs block muscarinic receptors of which three subtypes in human airways. Bronchoconstriction and mucus secretion are predominantly mediated via M3 receptors and to a lesser extent by M1 receptors in parasympathetic ganglia. M2 receptors on cholinergic nerve terminals act as feedback inhibitory receptors for acetylcholine release. Non-selective anticholinergics, such as ipratropium bromide inhibits M2 as well as M3 receptors and may therefore increase acetylcholine release and be less effective that M3-selectiove inhibitors. The most promising drug in development is tiotropium bromide which has a unique kinetic selectivity for M1 and M3 receptors. It dissociates rapidly from M2 receptors but has a very long action on M1 and M3 receptors, In clinical studies inhaled tiotropium gives bronchodilatation and protects against bronchoconstriction for up to three days after a single dose. It is proving to be very effective as a once daily bronchodilator in COPD.
Peter J Barnes
Department of Thoracic Medicine
National Heart & Lung Institute
London, U.K.

Pharmacological management (II):

04:00 - 04:40 p.m.

Phosphodiesterase Type 4 as a Target for treating Asthma.
The predominant cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) present in tissues involved in allergic diseases of the airways, is PDE type 4. Elevation of cAMP by selective PDE4 inhibitors relaxes airway smooth muscle, prevents the release and synthesis of bronchoconstrictor mediators, suppresses inflammatory leukocyte activation, inhibits cytokine synthesis and reverses neuronal hyperresponsiveness. In an antigen-provocation study in human asthma, the novel selective PDE4 inhibitor CDP840 significatly reduced the late phase response. This result indicates that PDE4 inhibitors could have therapeutic value in the prophylactic management of asthma.
Gerry A. Higgs
Celltech Therapeutics Ltd
Slough, Berkshire, U.K.

04:40 - 05:20 p.m.

New targets using Thl/Th2 balance.
The commitment of naive cells to the Th2 phenotype appears to play an important tole in the pathogenesis of allergic disease on the basis of this subset of cells to secrete IL-5 which is essential for eosinophil mobilisation and IL-4 which is required for B cell switch to IgE secretion. This presentation discusses the involvement of various molecules including cytokines (IL-4, IL-12), costimulatory molecules (B7-1 and 2, CD40) and transcription factors (GATA-3) that may play a role in regulating both the differentiation and activation of Th2 cells.
Anthony J. Coyle
Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Cambridge, MA, USA

05:20 - 06:00 p.m.

Is Interleukin-5 a therapeutic target in allergic diseases of the airways ?

Interleukin-5 is the most specific and effective cytokine accounting for eosinophil differentiation and maturation. Its gene expression and protein production are usually increased in severe allergic conditions. IL-5 induces bone marrow eosinopoiesis, but does not affect directly airways reactivity, a feature which might have been expected if eosinophils and hyperreactivity were directly associated. Since transgenic animals for IL-5 are not turned allergic, it is likely that IL-5 may be essential for eosinophil-smooth muscle interactions, but that other factors are required, such as increased IgE titres. Strategies for reducing IL-5 and related factors, as well as in vitro and in vivo models for the study of the role and of modulation of IL-5 will be reviewed.

L'Interleukine-5 en tant que cible dans les maladies allergiques des voies aériennes.

L'Interleukine 5 est la cytokine la plus spécifique et efficace pour induire la différenciation et la maturation des éosinophiles. L'expression de son gène et la production de la protéine sont souvent augmentées dans les maladies allergiques. L'IL-5 induit l'éosinopoïèse dans les organes hématopoïètiques, mais n'affecte pas directement la réactivité des voies aériennes, ce qui serait attendu si les éosinophiles induisaient directement l'hyperréactivité bronchopulmonaire. Puisque les souris transgéniques pour l'IL-5 ne sont pas rendues allergiques, il est clair que d'autres facteurs sont nécessaires, comme une augmentation des titres en IgE. Les stratégies pour réduire l'IL-5 et les facteurs associés, ainsi que les modèles in vivo et in vitro les plus employés seront discutés.

B. Boris Vargaftig
Pharmacologie cellulaire
Institut Pasteur
Paris, France

Friday April 3, 1998

8:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Socio economics of asthma.
The morbidity of asthma is also accompanied by socio economic costs. Poorly treated asthma is a burden on society as well as the patient. The social impact can be great in terms of the of the patient and family and the financial costs of asthma fall not only on patient and family but also on society through high health care costs. The major direct costs are hospital admissions and emergency room visits. Treatment not only benefits patient morbidity but can significantly reduce the economic burden of asthma. Intervention requires effective medication plus education of patient and physician which can increase costs. However this investment pays good dividends by achieving good asthma control which benefits patients, society and health care costs.
William J H Clark
Imperial College School of Medicine
National Heart & Lung Institute
London, U.K.

Early events and mediators

9:00 - 9:40 a.m.

Early intervention in atopic diseases.
Prevention and early intervention in allergic diseases of the respiratory tract might be feasible if it is directed at the high-risk population. At present, there are inadequate data to predict which infants will develop atopic diseases. Environmental manipulation, inducing breast-feeding, avoiding tobacco smoke, major food allergens, pets and reducing exposure to domestic mites, are reasonable recommendations. Early immunological intervention is a possibility to influence the Th2 to Th1 switch. Pharmacological secondary intervention is under investigation, and results are awaited with great interest.
Charles K. Naspitz
Escola Paulista de Medecina, UNIFESP
Sao Paulo, Brazil

9:40 - 10:10 a.m.

Neuropeptides and kinins in airway allergy.
It is now well established that peptides released from neural structures or generated from other sources may cause all the major signs of inflammation in the airways. Recently , the contribution of tachykinins, released from sensory nerves and kinins, generated from plasma and/or tissue precursors have been found to play an important role in airway allergic reaction in experimental animals. The newly discovered, selective and potent non peptide antagonists for bradykinin and tachykinin receptors may unravel the role of these peptides in allergy in humans. They may also have the potentlal as new drugs for the treatment of allergic airway disease.
Pierangelo Geppetti
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine
University of Ferrara
Ferrara, Italy

10:10 - 10:50 a.m.

Antileukotrienes.
Studies with anti-leukotriene drugs (receptor autagonists or leukotriene biosynthesis lnhihitors) have established that leukotrienes mediate important components of airway obstruction evoked by trigger factors in asthma such as allergen, exercise, adenosine, dry cold air, platelet activating factor, and aspirin in aspirin-intolerant asthmatics. When administered to asthmatics with persistent baseline bronchocontriction, anti leukotrienes cause a prompt bronchodilator response. Clinical treatment with anti-leukotrienes has been shown to produce chronic improvement in pulmonary function and other aspects of airway function, in parallel with a reduction in use of bronchodilator agents. Recent data support that inhibition of leukotrienes improve also cellular aspects of asthmatic airway inflammation, and in particular the infiltration of eosinophils in the airway mucosa. During treatment with antileukotrienes there has been observed a reduced need for rescue with glucocorticosteroids, and control of asthma despite reduced maintenance doses of glucocorticosteroids. The first anti-leukotriene drugs are presently being introduced as a new therapeutic alternative in asthma. In addition, there are observations suggesting that antileukotrienes may attenuate certain components of allergic rhinitis, especially congested nose and loss of smell. In conclusion, antileukotrienes comprise a new therapeutic option which may be used for control of asthma and prevention against airway obstruction induced by environmental triggers.
Sven-Erik Dahln
Institute of Environmental Medicine
Karolinska Institutet
Stockholm, Sweden

10:50 - 11:10 a.m.

Coffee break

New molecular insights :

11:10 - 11:40 a.m.

Mast cell tryptase and chymase as new targets for therapeutic intervention
Mast cell activation is a prominent feature of allergic conditions of the respiratory tract. This cell type can release a range of potent inflammatory mediators, but the among the most abundant products of mast cell activation are the serine proteases, tryptase aud chymase. Studies conducted in vitro suggest that by acting on cellular as well as extracellular targets, these proteases have the potential to play a key role in processes of allergic and neurogenic inflammation, tissue remodeling, the control of blood flow and mucus secretion. The use of in vivo models is now providing confirmatory evidence that tryptase and chymase may be important mediators of inflammation and attractive targets for therapeutic intervention
Andrew F. Walls
Immunopharmacology Group
Soulhampton General Hospital
Southampton, U.K.

11:40 - 12:20 p.m.

The mode of action of steroids
Glucocorticoids are by far the most effective therapy for the control of allergic diseases, but their molecular mechanism of action is still uncertain. Glucocorticoids bind to a single glucocorticoid receptor in the cytoplasm which translocates to the nucleus where it increases the expression of certain genes (e.g. 2-adrenoceptors). However the anti-inflammatory effects of steroids usually involve decreased expression of inflammatory proteins (cytokines, enzymes, adhesion molecules, receptors) as a result of decreased gene transcription. There is evidence that activated glucocorticoid receptors directly inhibit activated transcription factors, such as NF-B and AP-1, that orchestrate the expression of inflammatory and immune genes. In addition, glucocorticoids may affect translation of some inflammatory proteins and may increase expression of anti-inflammatory proteins, such as interleukin-10.
Peter J Barnes
Department of Thoracic Medicine
National Heart & Lung Institute
London, U.K.

12 h 20 - 12 h 50

The role of endotoxin exposure in asthma.

A dose-response relationship has been reported between exposure to allergens and both sensitization and occurence of symptomatic asthma while a relation between the level of allergen exposure and the quantified severity of chronic asthma remains questionnable. Bacterial endotoxin has long been recognized as a highly potent pro-inflammatory agent. Because endotoxin is present in a variety of occupational and general environmemts, it could be an important contributing factor in asthma severity.
Controlled exposure to inhalation of pure endotoxin, dust containing endotoxin and allergen extracts contaminated by endotoxin has been evaluated in nomal and asthmatic subjects. The prospective effect of anti-asthmatic drugs has also been investigated. In association with allergen exposure, the endotoxin content in house dust has been evaluated as an important determinant in asthma severity. Informations for the dose-response relationship to inhaled endotoxin are available allowing to define individual sensitivity as well as no-response threshold of exposure.

Le rôle de l’exposition aux endotoxines dans l’asthme.

Une relation dose-réponse existe entre d’une part l’exposition à des allergènes et d’autre part le risque de sensibilisation et d’asthme symptomatique. Par contre, une relation entre l’exposition allergénique et le niveau de sévérité de l’asthme chronique n’a jamais été démontrée. Les endotoxines bactériennes sont des agents pro-inflammatoires puissants. Puisque les endotoxines sont présentes dans plusieurs environnements professionnels et généraux, elles pourraient jouer un rôle important dans la sévérité de l’asthme. L’exposition contrôlée par l’inhalation d’endotoxine pure, de poussières ou d’extraits allergéniques contaminés par des endotoxines a été évaluée chez des sujets normaux et des asthmatiques. L’effet protecteur de médicaments anti-asthmatiques a aussi été investigué. En association à l’exposition allergénique, le contenu en endotoxines de la poussière de maison a été évalué comme facteur important de risque d’asthme chronique sévère. Des informations sur la relation dose-réponse à l’inhalation d’endotoxines sont disponibles ce qui permet de définir une sensibilité individuelle et le seuil d’exposition n’induisant aucune réponse.

Olivier Michel      (voir aussi http://www.waste.envmed.gu.se )
Hôpital Universitaire Saint-Pierre
Université libre de Bruxelles
Brussells, Belgium

12:50 - 02:10 p.m.

Lunch

02:10 - 02:40 p.m.

Targeting the respiratory tract with drugs.
Inhaled drug delivery assures a high concentration gradient between the target tissue in the respiratory tract and the systemic circulation. The ideal inhaler should provide a high and predictable lung dose with a minimal deposition in the upper airways. The device should be convenient with no use of additives and should not harm the environment. The inhaler should be age-specific to adapt to the varying compliance and ventilatory capacity through different age groups. The clinical effect, systemic activity, and cost-effectiveness of treatment are mainly related to the lung bioavailability, which may differ several fold, depending on the device chosen. In the future, dose-recommendation should therefore relate to lung bioavailability rather than to nominal or delivered dose.
Hans Bisgaard
National University Hospital
Copenhagen, Denmark

Immunotherapy

02:40 - 03:10 p.m.

Immunotherapy: state of the art.

Allergen immunotherapy was introduced to treat " pollinosis " in 1911.
Immunotherapy using inhalant allergens to treat allergic rhinitis an aslhma, is well proven to be scientifically effective in selected patients with IgE-mediated disease. It seems likely that immunotherapy acts by modifying T cell responses either by immune deviation (increase in Th0/Th1) or T cell anergy (decrease in Th2/Th0). The quality of the allergen extract is critical for both diagnosis and treatment. Indications have been recently revised in a WHO Position Paper.

L’Immunothérapie : état de l’art.

L’immunothérapie aux allergènes a été introduite en 1911 pour traiter la " pollinose ". L’immunothérapie avec des allergènes inhalés est efficace dans la rhinite allergique et l’asthme induite par les IgE. Il est probable que l’immunothérapie agisse en modifiant les réponses des lymphocytes T, soit en augmentant le rapport Th0/Th1 soit en induisant une anergie, ou encore en diminuant le rapport Th2/Th0. La qualité des extraits allergéniques est critique pour le diagnostic et le traitement. Les indications ont été récemment revues dans un document de l’OMS.

Jean Bousquet    (voir aussi http://www.montp.inserm.fr/u454/
Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve
Montpellier, France

03:10 - 03:40 p.m.

Peptide-Mediated regulation of allergen specific immune responses
Allergic inflammatory responses are regulated by cytokines derived from Th2-type helper cells. Thus, the ability to downregulate the function of these T cells may contribute to the improvement of clinical symptoms. Two broad approaches to CD4+ T cell targeted immunotherapy are attracting interest, namely the inhibition of Th2 cell activity and the induction of Thl-type cytokines. The modulation of house dust mite specific responses in experimental models by allergen derived peptides suggests that T cell anergy and/or a shift in the IFN[gamma] to IL-4 ratio in favour of the Th1 pathway are induced. These findings are discussed in the context of clinical allergen immunotherapy.
Jonathan Lamb
Respiratory Medicine Unit
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

03:40 - 04:00 p.m.

Tea break

From acute to chronic disease

04:00 - 04:40 p.m.

Allergens as a Target for Treatment.
Increasing knowledge of the primary, secondary and tertiary structure of the major indoor allergens, makes it possible to ask specific questions about the relevance of enzymic or other activities of these proteins to their immunogeni-city. Using site directed mutagenesis on recombinant proteins, it is already possible to produce molecules that have greatly diminished reactivity with IgE antibodies. Measurement of exposure to indoor allergens has defined dose response relationships between exposure and disease. Thus, there are two major allergen specific approaches to management of asthma modifying the environment and specifically targeting different aspects of the immune response.
Thomas A.E. Platts-Mills
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA, USA

04:40 - 05:20 p.m.

Effects of inflammatory mediators and drugs on Mucus Secretion and Mucociliary Function
A number of mediators and cytokines (eg. histamine, PAF, reactive oxygen species, TNF-a) are increased in airways of individuals suffering from allergic disorders. Utilizing guinea pig and human airway epithelial cells in air/liquid interface culture, which maintains their differentiated structure and function in vitro, effects of these substances on secretion of mucin were studied. Histamine, PAF, exogenously-generated oxidants, and TNFa all increased secretion of mucin, and appeared to do so via a convergent intracellular pathway involving nitric oxide (NO) as a critical signaling molecule. Since NO can also modulate ciliary beat frequency, it may be an important molecule regulating mucociliary clearance under normal and pathologic conditions. The mode of action of drugs which interfere with mucus production and which may have clinical relevance will be reviewed.
Kenneth B. Adler
Professor of Cell Biology
Department of Anatomy, Physiological Sciences and Radiology
College of Veterinary Medicine
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC, USA.

05:20 - 06:00 p.m.

Remodeling of Lung Tissue Consequent to Chronic Injury.
Lung injury is induced by a number of environmental agents including toxic particles and gases, allergens and infectious organisms. If exposure takes place chronically, the conducting airways and gas exchanging regions of the lung are remodeled by the elaboration of extracellular matrix. This results in scarring that contributes to the thickened, hyperreactive airways of chronic asthma and the severe dyspnoea of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and the pneumoconioses. Transgenic and molecular biology techniques allow a focus on factors such as platelet-derived growth factor, the transforming growth factors, and TNF-a as potential mediators of lung remodeling and as targets for therapeutic intervention.
Arnold R. Brody
Department of Pathology
Tulane University Medical School
New Orleans, LA, U.S.A.


Saturday April 4, 1998 SATELLITE Chaired by: G. PELTRE (F)
Progress in molecular diagnostics of allergy

8:30 - 9:00

Registration of the participants of the satellite

9:00 - 9:35 a.m.

Introduction: From past to future.
Ever since the discovery of human IgE it has been possible to perform allergy diagnosis at the molecular level. Quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods could measure patients individual responses towards single allergen molecules. Progress in separation abilities combined with genetically engineering have further revealed individual responses towards isoforms of allergens. Very recently 3-D structure of allergen molecules indirectly elucidate potential allergenic epitopes. Current activities within genetics of allergy (in particular HLA and allergy) may create a basis for molecular diagnostics of allergy at the gene level.
Henning Lowenstein
Alk-Abello Research
Horsholm, Denmark

9:35 - 10:10 a.m.

Environmental Aspects of Allergy Diagnostics.
Sensitization to one or more of the major perennial allergens is a major risk factor for asthma. Specific diagnosis is essential for understanding the epidemic of asthma evaluating individual cases and monitoring treatment. Sensitization is currently assessed by skin tests or in vitro assays for IgE. It is also possible to quantitate IgG and T cell responses, however the clinical significance of these measurements is not yet clear. In all cases it is essential to understand the patients exposure which is best achieved by assay of specific allergens in the environment. Monoclonal antibody based assays for the indoor allergens have also allowed development of precise avoidance measures for the major indoor allergens.
Thomas A.E. Platts-Mills
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA, USA

10:10 - 10:45 a.m.

Recombinant allergens: diagnosis and therapy of the future.
Molecular biology (and in particular cDNA cloning) provided us with an increasing number of well characterized recombinant allergens in recent years. As these molecules can - in comparison to natural allergens and allergen extracts - easily be standardized and produced in large amounts, they represent candidates for diagnosis and specific therapy of Type-l allergy in the future. The production of particular variants of recombinant allergens (isoforms, mutants) could further increase their potential in this respect: molecules for a sensitive diagnosis should possess high IgE-binding capacity, allergens for therapeutical use should target specific lymphocytes and at the same time display reduced allergenicity. Pollen allergens with these properties have been produced and will be presented.
Christof Ebner
Institute of general and experimental pathology
Vienna, Austria

10:45 - 11:15 a.m.

Coffee break

11:15 - 11:50 a.m.

Diagnostics in food allergy.

Food allergy is a public health problem because it can be fatal, but also because its chronic nature impairs quality of life or generates costs. The diagnosis of food allergy requires demonstration of sensitization (assays of specific IgE and skin tests). Reactivity is confirmed by double-blind oral challenge, determination of intestinal permeability or motility, or even by cytokine release.

Diagnostics dans l’allergie alimentaire.

L’allergie alimentaire est un problème de santé publique parce qu’elle peut être responsable de décès, mais aussi parce que sa chronicité altère la qualité de vie ou génère des coûts. Le diagnostic impose la mise en évidence d’une sensibilisation (dosage d’IgE spécifiques et tests cutanés). La preuve de la réactivité est fournie par les provocations orales en double insu, la mesure de la perméabilité ou de la motricité intestinales, voire par la libération des cytokines.

Claude André
Stallergnes S.A.
Antony - France

11:50 - 12:25 p.m.

IgG4 antibody assays in allergy diagnostics.
IgG4 antibodies have been known to be associated with IgE mediated responses (both allergic and helminth-associated) because both depend on TH2 cytokines. Debates have been going on for 20 years on both extremes of potential relevance: a possible pathogenic role for allergen-specific IgG4 on the one hand and a protective (allergen-blocking) role on the other. A further complication has been added by the observation that IgG4 is a natural bispecific antibody, i.e. it has two different antigen-binding sites.
Rob Aalberse
Department of Allergy
Central Laboratory of The Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

12:35 - 01:00 p.m.

Non-IgE antibodies to allergens: their relevance in diagnostics

A simplified definition of allergens could be that they are antigens recognized by IgE antibodies. Allergic patients sensitized to a given allergenic source, such as mites or pollen, produce specific IgE to allergens but also non-IgE antibodies to either allergens or other antigens present in the allergenic source. These later antibodies are usually far more numerous and, so, should be easier to detect than the allergen specific IgE. Their immunoglobulin nature is also important. Many questions will be raised. Are these non-IgE antibodies involved in the allergen presentation or clearance in vivo ? Are they competing with IgE for their binding with allergens ? Do they interfere with IgE in vitro diagnostics ? Do they have predictive values for the induction or the evolution of the disease ? What is a " normal " immune response, from non allergic individuals, to allergenic extracts ?



Les anticorps non-IgE anti-allergènes : leur importance en diagnostic.

Une définition simplifiée des allergènes est qu’ils sont des antigènes reconnus par des anticorps de classe IgE. Les malades allergiques sensibilisés à une source d’allergène, telle que les acariens ou les pollens, produisent des IgE spécifiques des allergènes mais aussi des anticorps non-IgE dirigés soit contre les allergènes ou d’autres antigènes présents dans la source d’allergènes. Ces derniers anticorps sont habituellement beaucoup plus nombreux et donc devraient être plus facilement détectables que les IgE. Leur nature immunoglobulinique est aussi importante. De nombreuses questions se posent alors. Ces anticorps non-IgE sont-il impliqués dans la présentation des allergènes ou dans leur élimination in vivo ? Entrent-ils en compétition avec les IgE dans leur liaison avec les allergènes ? Interfèrent-ils avec des IgE dans le dosage de ces derniers in vitro ? Peuvent-ils prédire l’induction ou l’évolution de la maladie ? Quelle est la réponse immunitaire " normale " d’un individu non allergique aux extraits d’allergènes ?

Gabriel Peltre
Immuno-Allergie, Institut Pasteur
Paris, France.


Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Contact : Ludovic Drye, Institut Pasteur,
C.I.S., 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15 France
Fax 33 1 40 61 34 05 - E.mail :
l drye
http://www.pasteur.fr/Conf/euroconf.html


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