title: The expression of IgE Fc receptors on lymphocytes of allergic patients.
abstract: Peripheral blood lymphocytes from nonatopic subjects and atopic patients were analyzed for cells expressing Fc receptors for IgE (Fc epsilon R). Nonatopic humans and atopic patients in remission had approximately 1 percent of Fc epsilon R+ peripheral blood lymphocytes. Usually greater than 99 percent of these cells were mIgM+/mIgD+ B cells. However, in approximately 10 percent of nonatopic and atopic subjects a transient increase of Fc epsilon R+ lymphocytes to 3-6 percent was observed in the absence of any disease manifestations and measurable changes in the serum IgE level. At times of increased numbers of peripheral blood Fc epsilon R+ lymphocytes, up to 1 percent Fc epsilon R+ positive cells were detected in isolated T cell preparations. The Fc epsilon R+ T cells reacted with the monoclonal antibody Lyt 3 to the sheep erythrocyte receptor of human T cells but not the anti-T cell antibody OKT3, and fractions also with the monoclonal antibodies OKT8 (cytotoxic and suppressor T cells) and OKM1, which binds to an antigen present on monocytes and a subpopulation of T cells and large granular lymphocytes. No OKT4+ (helper T cells) Fc epsilon R+ cells were detected. The reactivity with monoclonal antibodies to T cell subsets of the Fc epsilon R+ T cells paralleled the reactivity of the IgG Fc receptor positive T cells. In contrast to patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma, patients with severe atopic dermatitis or the Hyper IgE Syndrome always had significantly elevated percentage of Fc epsilon R+ lymphocytes (4-10 percent), which were almost entirely B cells since less than 0.1 percent Fc epsilon R+ T cells were detected in these patients. Atopic dermatitis patients receiving systemic corticosteroid treatment had only 0.2 percent Fc epsilon R+ lymphocytes which was significantly less than the 1 percent of the nonatopic control donors. Attempts to define the function of Fc epsilon R on human B and T lymphocytes have been unsuccessful thus far; however, the increase of Fc epsilon R+ cells associated with atopic disease in man and parasitic infections in rats and mice suggest that Fc epsilon R+ lymphocyte may be involved in the IgE isotype regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA 92037.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Spiegelberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology*; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017455:Receptors, IgE