Autologous serum skin test for autoantibodies is associated with airway hyperresponsiveness in patients with asthma.
BACKGROUND
Autoimmune diseases have been implicated as a cause of intrinsic asthma; however, there is little data on the role of autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of asthma.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate circulating functional autoantibodies against the high-affinity IgE receptor FcepsilonRI or IgE in patients with asthma.


METHODS
Twenty-eight patients with asthma and 19 control subjects were included. All subjects were skin tested with autologous serum to assess for the potential presence of receptor FcepsilonRI or IgE autoantibodies. If the serum-induced wheal diameter was 1.5 mm larger than the histamine-induced wheal diameter and that was 3 mm larger than the saline-induced wheal diameter at 30 min, the reaction was defined positive.


RESULTS
Of the 47 total subjects (both asthma patients and control subjects), 13 (27.7%) had a positive autologous serum skin test (ASST). Of the 28 asthma patients, 8 (28.6%) were regarded as having autoimmune origin. Autoantibodies against FcepsilonRI or IgE were found in asthma patients, irrespective of atopic status (atopy+ 3/13 vs. atopy- 5/15). The wheal diameter related to ASST was not related to atopy. Asthma patients with ASST-positive results as compared with patients with ASST-negative results exhibited a significant increased airway hyperresponsiveness (PC(20) methacholine, 2.70 +/- 1.27 vs. 9.08 +/- 2.35; p < 0.026).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate that aberrant autoantibodies against the high-affinity IgE receptor FcepsilonRI or IgE are related to airway hyperresponsiveness in patients with asthma.
Jang
An-Soo
AS
Asthma and Allergy Research Group, Division of Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon Hospital, Wonmi-gu, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. jas877@schbc.ac.kr
Park
Jong-Sook
JS
Lee
June-Hyuk
JH
Park
Sung-Woo
SW
Kim
Do-Jin
DJ
Park
Choon-Sik
CS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013147:Spirometry
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D007073:Immunoglobulin E