title: Human auto-anti-idiotypic antibodies to mite-specific IgE can degranulate human basophils in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anti-idiotypic antibodies (anti-Ids) to specific IgE antibodies are formed spontaneously during an anti-allergen immune response and can be induced by immunotherapy. Although anti-Ids can down-regulate the production of IgE antibodies, at least in experimental models, their possible role in the modulation of target cell reactivity remains ill-defined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The capacity of human anti-Ids to modulate the release of histamine was examined in an in vitro system of human basophil degranulation. Anti-Ids were prepared from the serum of six Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp)-hypersensitive patients suffering from atopic dermatitis and who had never been desensitized. Basophils were obtained from the blood of atopic donors. The extent of histamine release was determined using a fluorometric assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We show that: anti-Ids trigger the release of histamine in an allergen-specific, dose- and IgE-dependent manner; the release is not due to the presence of allergen and/or anti-IgE antibodies; and that the degranulating activity can be removed by absorption with affinity-purified anti-Dp antibodies of the corresponding patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that spontaneously produced human anti-Ids can modulate the reactivity of human basophils.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Allergologie, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weyer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Le Mao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Etievant
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Guinnepain
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Saint-Remy
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001491:Basophils / Q000187:drug effects*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006023:Glycoproteins; C026408:anti-IgE antibodies; D007073:Immunoglobulin E