title: Poor association of allergen-specific antibody, T- and B-cell responses revealed with recombinant allergens and a CFSE dilution-based assay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The adaptive immunity underlying allergy comprises two components, the allergen-specific antibody (i.e. IgE, IgG) and the T-cell response. These two components are responsible for different disease manifestations and can be targeted by different therapeutic approaches. Here, we investigated the association of allergen-specific antibody and T- as well as B-cell responses in pollen-allergic patients using recombinant (r) major birch pollen allergen rBet v 1 and major timothy grass pollen allergen rPhl p 5 as defined antigens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Allergen-specific IgE and IgG antibody responses were determined by ELISA, and allergen-specific T- and B-cell responses were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using a carboxyfluorescein-diacetate-succinimidylester (CFSE) dilution assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CFSE staining in combination with T-cell- and B-cell-specific gating allowed discriminating between allergen-specific T-cell and B-cell responses. Interestingly, we identified patients where mainly T cells and others where mainly B cells proliferated in response to allergen stimulation. No association between the level of allergen-specific Ig responses and B- or T-cell proliferation was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Purified recombinant allergens in conjunction with CFSE staining allow the dissection of allergen-specific B- and T-cell responses. The dissociation of allergen-specific antibody, and B- and T-cell responses may explain the occurrence of selective IgE- and T-cell-mediated manifestations of allergic inflammation and may be important for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies selectively targeting B cells and T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eckl-Dorna
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Campana
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valenta
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Niederberger
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000906:Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: B cell; T cell; allergy; carboxyfluorescein-diacetate-succinimidylester; proliferation