Cytokine profile of food‐allergic post‐liver transplant children is identified by high levels of IL‐5 and low IL‐10 secretion from patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Severe allergic reaction to food following liver transplantation is a well‐known phenomenon. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not yet elucidated. This study aimed to reveal the nature of the immune response in post‐transplanted allergic patients and compare them to non‐allergic transplanted as well as allergic and non‐allergic control subjects, with focus on cytokine milieu. Post‐liver transplant patients with and without allergic reactions as well as food‐allergic but otherwise healthy and healthy non‐allergic control patients were recruited. We reviewed patient records and routine laboratory tests and assayed subjects' PBMCs, studying cytokine secretion profile in response to different stimuli. Post‐transplant patients with food allergy showed a unique cytokine profile in response to various stimuli, with extremely elevated IL‐5, low IL‐10 secretion, and somewhat higher IFN‐γ. T regulatory cell number was not significantly different among the groups of patients and controls. Immune response of food‐allergic post‐liver transplant patients is identified by a unique cytokine profile when compared to allergic but otherwise healthy individuals.