Serum levels of IgE-binding factor (soluble CD23) in diseases associated with elevated IgE.
Several in-vitro experiments suggest that the low affinity receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon RII) and its soluble fragment (IgE-binding factor, IgE-BF) are multi-functional molecules and more particularly that they are capable of regulating the synthesis of human IgE. In an attempt to examine the in-vivo significance of these in-vitro observations, the serum level of IgE-BF was measured in individuals with allergic or parasitic diseases, both associated with an increased production of IgE. IgE-BF was measured by a radioimmunoassay employing two mAbs against Fc epsilon RII (mAbER). We first compared 257 allergic subjects to 172 non-allergic controls matched for age and sex. Statistical analysis of the data, after logarithmic transformation of IgE-BF and IgE values, revealed that despite a great overlap, the allergic subjects had significantly higher levels of IgE-BF. The correlation between IgE and IgE-BF was very weak but significant. Allergic or non-allergic children had significantly higher IgE-BF levels than the corresponding groups of adults; moreover, the inverse correlation between age and IgE-BF levels was significant only in the children and not in the adults. The IgE-BF levels were not influenced by gender, by hyposensitization therapy or by treatment with local steroids. Subjects receiving systemic steroids had lower IgE-BF levels than untreated subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Yanagihara
Y
Y
Clinical Research Center for Allergy, National Sagamihara Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
Sarfati
M
M
Marsh
D
D
Nutman
T
T
Delespesse
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D008118:Loiasis / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000097:blood*; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000097:blood*
D008222:Lymphokines; D029584:Prostatic Secretory Proteins; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; C043076:beta-microseminoprotein; C013059:immunoglobulin-binding factors; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010450:Endopeptidases