title: Desensitization of human basophils with suboptimal concentrations of agonist. Evidence for reversible and irreversible desensitization.
abstract: Leucocytes from allergic donors were preincubated with suboptimal concentrations of ragweed or anti-IgE and then challenged with increasing concentrations of the homologous or heterologous agonist. The initial incubation resulted in desensitization, as judged by a reduced reactivity relative to controls preincubated without agonist but challenged similarly. Both homologous and heterologous desensitization were observed and were dose dependent. Evidence was obtained for both a reversible and irreversible component of desensitization, which was also agonist-concentration related. Reversibility occurred to a similar degree either by incubation of suboptimally desensitized cells with optimal concentrations of agonist or by removal of IgE and resensitization. This could implicate IgE-agonist aggregation on the basophil surface as a mechanism of desensitization. Histamine release from desensitized cells was highly correlated with degranulation, suggesting that individual cells were desensitized in an all-or-none manner.
authors: Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Pruzansky
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Patterson
mesh_terms: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D006636:Histamine Release; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D007073:Immunoglobulin E