Clinical application of measurements of serum level of bee venom-specific IgE and IgG.
Bee venom--specific IgE and IgG antibodies were measured in the serum of beekeeepers, bee-allergic persons, and normal persons infrequently stung without adverse effects. Beekeepers, who are stung frequently and relatively "immune" to bee stings, are characterized by high serum levels of IgG- and low serum levels of IgE-specific antibodies. Bee-allergic individuals have high titers of bee venom--specific IgG. Following a bee sting, allergic individuals develop a rising titer of IgE antibodies, accompanied occasionally by a rise in IgG antibodies. Therapy with whole bee body extracts fail to effect IgE or IgG antibody titers. During the course of venom immunotherapy IgG-specific antibodies are stimulated and IgE-specific antibodies continue to decline. These observations suggest that: (1) bee sting allergy is a function of bee venom--specific IgE; (2) bee sting immunity is a function of bee venom--specific IgG; and (3) bee venom is an appropriate therapeutic antigen.
D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001516:Bees; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008297:Male; D014688:Venoms / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000906:Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D014688:Venoms; D007073:Immunoglobulin E