Figure 4. In vitro cytokine release by spleen cells after after 48 h stimulation with rBet v 1. (A) Higher levels of IL-4 were found in sensitized (both treated and not treated) groups respect to naïve mice. ST[rBet v 1] released lower IL-4, compared with ST and ST+rBet v 1 (P < 0.001 vs both). (B) IL-10 increased in all the 3 therapy groups respect to sensitized (P < 0.05). Among treated groups, the highest levels were found in the ST[rBet v 1] group (P < 0.001). (C) ST[rBet v 1] and ST+rBet v 1 groups produced similar amount of INF-γ, significantly higher than sensitized (P < 0.001), naïve and ST groups. Data are mean ± standard deviation. Statistical significance (ANOVA): § = P < 0.001 naïve vs all other groups; *P < 0.05 ST vs sensitized; ***P < 0.001 vs all other groups, except for IFN-γ, where (#) ST+Bet v 1 has values similar to ST[rBetv1]. naïve: not sensitized, not treated mice; sensitized: sensitized, not treated mice; ST: wild type Streptococcus thermophilus-treated mice; ST[rBet v 1]: mice treated with recombinant Streptococcus thermophilus expressing rBet v 1; ST+rBet v 1: mice treated with recombinant wild type Streptococcus thermophilus and rBet v 1.