title: Natural anti-IgE auto-antibodies interfere with diagnostic IgE determination.
abstract: A simple method is described which enables measurement of anti-IgE antibodies in free form as well as in immune complexes of IgE and anti-IgE. Anti-IgE antibodies were purified from serum of one selected blood donor with highly elevated levels of such autoantibodies. These purified anti-IgE auto-antibodies inhibited the measurement of myeloma IgE. Purification also revealed that 98% of the subject's serum IgE was masked by anti-IgE auto-antibodies. Our data suggest that IgE determinations in sera containing anti-IgE antibodies might be underestimated.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Immunology, Inselspital Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Vassella
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: de Weck
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Stadler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000032:analysis*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007073:Immunoglobulin E