Seasonal fluctuations of substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide concentrations in nasal secretions of patients with nasal allergy to Japanese cedar pollen

: Substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentrations in nasal secretions and plasma from patients with nasal allergy to Japanese cedar pollen and healthy volunteers were measured from Jan to Dec, 1991 using EIA established by us. Simultaneously, the numbers of airborne pollens of Japanese cedar and cypress were counted, and the relation to the SP and VIP concentrations in nasal secretions from the patients with nasal allergy to Japanese cedar pollen was studied. The mean SP concentration in nasal secretions from the patients with nasal allergy to Japanese cedar pollen in the pollination season was 81.9 +/- 48.4 fmol/mg protein, which was significantly higher than that in the non-pollination season (30.4 +/- 14.7 fmol/mg protein) (p < 0.01). Likewise, the mean VIP concentration in nasal secretions from the patients with nasal allergy to Japanese cedar pollen in the pollination season was 14.2 +/- 10.4 fmol/ml protein, which was significantly higher than that in the non-pollination season (4.2 +/- 3.0 fmol/mg protein) (p < 0.01). The SP and VIP concentrations in nasal secretions from the healthy volunteers were not affected by the scattering of pollens. The SP and VIP concentrations in plasma from the patients and the healthy volunteers were not affected by the scattering of pollens.