title: Testing the 'toxin hypothesis of allergy': mast cells, IgE, and innate and acquired immune responses to venoms.
abstract: Work in mice indicates that innate functions of mast cells, particularly degradation of venom toxins by mast cell-derived proteases, can enhance resistance to certain arthropod or reptile venoms. Recent reports indicate that acquired Th2 immune responses associated with the production of IgE antibodies, induced by Russell's viper venom or honeybee venom, or by a component of honeybee venom, bee venom phospholipase 2 (bvPLA2), can increase the resistance of mice to challenge with potentially lethal doses of either of the venoms or bvPLA2. These findings support the conclusion that, in contrast to the detrimental effects associated with allergic type 2 (Th2) immune responses, mast cells and IgE-dependent immune responses to venoms can contribute to innate and adaptive resistance to venom-induced pathology and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Mindy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Starkl
authors.affiliation: GIGA-Research and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marichal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address: sgalli@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Galli
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000378:metabolism; D014688:Venoms / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D017455:Receptors, IgE; D014688:Venoms; D007073:Immunoglobulin E