title: Increase of ovalbumin (OVA)-specific B cells in the peripheral blood of egg-allergic patients.
abstract: Allergen-specific B cells were detected by antigen-coated magnetic beads. The frequency of ovalbumin (OVA)-specific B cells was significantly higher in patients with egg white-allergy than in age-matched nonallergic individuals. These B cells, isolated by the immunomagnetic-beads method, produced anti-OVA antibodies of mostly IgM class when they were transformed by Epstein-Barr virus and cultured for about 2 weeks. Based on a chronologic analysis, the increase of OVA-specific B cells was found to precede the increase of IgG and IgE anti-OVA antibodies in the serum. These observations indicated that OVA-binding B cells in the peripheral blood are already committed to producing IgM antibody and probably are the precursors of antibody-forming cells of the IgG or IgE class.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohshiba
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004531:Eggs; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007223:Infant; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology*; D012397:Rosette Formation; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012709:Serum Albumin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin