Figure 3.

House dust mite sublingual allergen immunotherapy (AIT) reduced polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C))–induced human bronchial epithelial cell (HBEC) alarmin IL-33 expression in patients with allergic asthma. HBECs from patients with allergic asthma were stimulated with 10 μg/ml poly(I:C) for 3 and 24 hours. IL-33 and TSLP (thymic stromal lymphopoietin) mRNA expression was quantified using qRT-PCR, IL-33 protein release was measured using multiplex ELISA, and TSLP protein release was measured using the S-PLEX kit (Meso Scale Discovery) (A–F), relative change of TSLP mRNA fold induction (EOT-BL) (G), and relative change of TSLP protein release (EOT-BL) (H). (A–F) IL-33 mRNA expression in fold change (poly(I:C) was normalized to respective control) (A), IL-33 protein release (absolute value) (B), TSLP mRNA expression in fold change (poly(I:C) was normalized to respective control) (C), TSLP protein release (absolute value) (D), relative change of IL-33 mRNA fold induction (end of treatment [Week 24] [EOT] − baseline [BL]) (E), relative change of IL-33 protein release (EOT − BL) (F), relative change of TSLP mRNA fold induction (EOT − BL) (E), and relative change of TSLP protein release (EOT − BL) (F). Relative change (Δ) values are presented as median with interquartile range; placebo (n = 17) and AIT (n = 17) for gene expression, and placebo (n = 17) and AIT (n = 14–17) for protein release. P values <0.05 were considered to indicate significant differences. rel. = relative; UBC = ubiquitin C.