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Controlled Allergen Challenge Facilities and Their Unique Contributions to Allergic Rhinitis Research

  • Rhinitis (JJ Oppenheimer and J Corren (Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

The aim of this study is to review advances in basic and clinical allergic rhinitis (AR) research over the past decade that have been conducted using controlled allergen challenge facility (CACF) models of allergen challenge. Databases, including PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science were searched for articles employing an ambient pollen exposure in a controlled facility to study AR, published between 2004 and the present date, using the terms as follows: CACF, Environmental Exposure Unit (EEU), Vienna Challenge Chamber (VCC), Fraunhofer Institute Environmental Challenge Chamber, Atlanta Allergen Exposure Unit, Biogenics Research Chamber, Allergen BioCube, Chiba and Osaka Environmental Challenge Chamber, exposure unit, challenge chamber, or environmental exposure chamber. Articles were then selected for relevance to the goals of the present review, including important contributions toward clinical and/or basic science allergy research. CACFs offer sensitive, specific, and reproducible methodology for allergen challenge. They have been employed since the 1980s and offer distinct advantages over traditional in-season multicentre trials when evaluating new treatments for AR. They have provided clinically applicable efficacy and pharmacologic information about important allergy medications, including antihistamines, decongestants, antileukotrienes, immunotherapies, and nasal steroids. CACF models have also contributed to basic science and novel/experimental therapy research. To date, no direct studies have been conducted comparing outcomes from one CACF to another. Over the past decade, CACF models have played an essential role in investigating the pathophysiology of AR and evaluating new therapies. The future opportunities for this model continue to expand.

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Abbreviations

AR:

Allergic rhinitis

CACF:

Controlled allergen challenge facility

CRTH2:

Chemoattractant receptor homologous molecule

EEU:

Environmental exposure unit

EPR:

Early phase responders

SLIT:

Sub-lingual immunotherapies

TNSS:

Total nasal symptom score

TRPV1:

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1

VCC:

Vienna challenge chamber

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Conflict of Interest

Anne K. Ellis declares that she is a speaker for Merck and has received grants from Sun Phama and Circassia. Michelle North, Lisa Steacy, Mena Soliman, and Terry Walker declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada

      Michelle L. North, Mena Soliman & Anne K. Ellis

    2. Allergy Research Unit, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, ON, Canada

      Michelle L. North, Mena Soliman, Terry Walker, Lisa M. Steacy & Anne K. Ellis

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    1. Michelle L. North
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    2. Mena Soliman
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    3. Terry Walker
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    Correspondence to Anne K. Ellis.

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    This article is part of the Topical Collection on Rhinitis

    Michelle L. North and Mena Soliman contributed equally to this work.

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    North, M.L., Soliman, M., Walker, T. et al. Controlled Allergen Challenge Facilities and Their Unique Contributions to Allergic Rhinitis Research. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 15, 11 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-015-0514-4

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