Cord blood leucocytes/basophils produce and release sulfidoleucotrienes in response to allergen stimulation.
BACKGROUND
Leucocyte-derived sulfidoleucotrienes (SLT) from children and adults can be detected in vitro in response to specific allergen stimulation, a mechanism thought to require the presence of allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibodies on the surface of basophils. It is unknown whether this mechanism is functional in cord blood basophils.


OBJECTIVE
We studied the in vitro SLT-release of leucocytes in response to allergen and anti-IgE stimulation in term newborns and children with allergic diseases.


METHODS
Cord blood from randomly selected term newborns were analysed for total IgE-antibodies and in vitro SLT-release in response to allergen and anti-IgE stimulation. Children from an allergy outpatient clinic were used as the control group. The Cellular Allergen Stimulation Test (CAST) was used as read-out system. Allergen stimulation was performed with an allergen-mix containing 21 nutritive and inhalant allergens.


RESULTS
Peripheral blood leucocytes/basophils derived from allergic children (n = 56; median SLT release 1049 pg/mL) were more responsive to anti-IgE stimulation as cord blood leucocytes/basophils (n = 104; median 419 pg/mL P < 0.0001). In response to stimulation with an allergen-mix, the two groups did not differ significantly from each other. Only SLT-releasability in response to anti-IgE showed a correlation with cord blood IgE.


CONCLUSIONS
Sulfidoleucotriene-release of cord blood basophils is functional in response to allergens. It appears possible that cord blood basophils are armed with allergen-specific IgE-antibodies though not detectable in serum. Therefore, cord blood SLT-release may indirectly reflect prenatal priming with allergens with subsequent production of allergen-specific IgE.
Szépfalusi
Z
Z
Department of Pediatrics, University of Vienna, Austria, St Anna Children's Hospital, Vienna, Austria.
Todoran
L
L
Elsässer
S
S
Jagdt
B
B
Wank
H
H
Urbanek
R
R
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology; D001491:Basophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male
D000485:Allergens; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D015289:Leukotrienes; C026408:anti-IgE antibodies; D007073:Immunoglobulin E