title: Vaccination for birch pollen allergy: comparison of the affinities of specific immunoglobulins E, G1 and G4 measured by surface plasmon resonance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) is associated with increased levels of allergen-specific IgG in serum. However, it is not clear to what extent qualitative changes in the allergen binding capacity of IgG may be induced as well.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of SIT on antibody affinity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The binding affinity of purified serum IgG1, IgG4 and IgE to the major allergen in birch (Betula verrucosa) pollen, Bet v 1, was analysed by surface plasmon resonance. The antibodies were obtained from 10 birch pollen-allergic patients receiving SIT and from 10 patients with no SIT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients having received SIT have a significant higher titre of anti-Bet v 1 antibodies in their blood, but the affinity to Bet v 1 of allergen-specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG4 does not differ between the two groups. For IgG1 and IgG4, correlations between less allergic symptoms and affinity of the antibodies were observed both in the SIT group and to a smaller extent in the non-SIT group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SIT has no effect on antibody affinity of allergen-specific IgE, IgG1 or IgG4. Allergic patients with high-affinity IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies report less symptoms than patients with low-affinity antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. cgjakobsen@health.sdu.dk
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bodtger
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Roggen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D019138:Antibodies, Blocking / Q000276:immunology; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011058:Pollen; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D019138:Antibodies, Blocking; D052179:Antigens, Plant; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E