Deakin University
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Functional analysis of cross-reactive immunoglobulin E antibodies: peanut-specific immunoglobulin E sensitizes basophils to tree nut allergens

journal contribution
posted on 2005-08-01, 00:00 authored by M P De Leon, A C Drew, I N Glaspole, Cenk SuphiogluCenk Suphioglu, J M Rolland, R E O'Hehir
Background: Peanut and tree nuts are a major cause of food-induced anaphylaxis with an appreciable mortality. Co-sensitization to peanuts and tree nuts is a common clinical observation and may be because of peanut-specific serum IgE antibodies that cross-react with tree nut allergens. It is, however, unclear whether these cross-reactive IgE antibodies are involved in effector-cell activation. Objective: To determine if cross-reactivity of peanut-specific IgE antibodies with tree nuts can cause effector cell activation using an in vitro basophil activation assay. Methods: Two peanut allergic subjects with positive specific IgE for peanut and tree nuts (as measured by CAP-FEIA) were studied. Basophil activation to peanut and tree nuts, as indicated by CD63 expression, was assessed by flow cytometry to confirm co-sensitization to peanut and tree nuts. Inhibition ELISA using sera from the subjects was performed to detect peanut-specific IgE antibodies that cross-reacted with tree nut proteins. To determine whether cross-reactive tree nut allergens can induce effector-cell activation, peanut-specific antibodies were affinity purified from the subject sera and used to resensitize non-peanut/tree nut allergic donor basophils stripped of surface IgE. Basophil activation was then measured following stimulation with peanut and tree nut extracts. Results: The two peanut allergic subjects in this study showed positive basophil activation to the peanut and tree nut extracts. Inhibition ELISA demonstrated that pre-incubation of the peanut allergic subject sera with almond, Brazil nut and hazelnut extracts inhibited IgE binding to peanut extract. IgE-stripped basophils from non-peanut/tree nut allergic subjects resensitized with affinity-purified peanut-specific antibodies from the peanut allergic subject sera became activated following stimulation with peanut, almond and Brazil nut extracts, demonstrating biological activity of cross-reactive IgE antibodies. Conclusion: Peanut-specific IgE antibodies that cross-react with tree nut allergens can cause effector-cell activation and may contribute to the manifestation of tree nut allergy in peanut allergic subjects.

History

Journal

Clinical and experimental allergy

Volume

35

Issue

8

Pagination

1056 - 1064

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Location

Chichester, Eng.

ISSN

0954-7894

eISSN

1365-2222

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2005, Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Usage metrics

    Research Publications

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC