title: IgE hidden in immune complexes with anti-IgE autoantibodies in children with asthma.
abstract: Serum levels of IgE, anti-IgE autoantibodies (Abs), and IgE/IgG anti-IgE immune complexes (ICs) were measured in 110 children with asthma and 90 healthy control children. Significantly enhanced levels of IgE/anti-IgE IC were detected in children with asthma. However, only a weak correlation was found between anti-IgE auto-Ab serum levels and the degree of lung function abnormalities in children with asthma. However, children with asthma with low serum IgE levels had elevated IC serum levels of IgE/anti-IgE auto-Abs, suggesting that IgE might be hidden within these ICs and is therefore not measurable in vitro. The significant elevation of IgE/anti-IgE IC serum levels raises the question whether IgE within ICs is neutralized or might still be involved in immunologic mechanisms responsible for clinical symptoms of bronchial asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bättig
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kraemer
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Stadler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E