IgE sensitization profiles to food, inhalant and insect venom in Norwegian blood donors and their impact on blood transfusions

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of immunology Vol. 101; no. 1; pp. e13425 - n/a
• Main Authors: Mahmood, Faiza, Hetland, Geir, Mirlashari, Mohammad Reza, Nissen‐Meyer, Lise Sofie Haug
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.01.2025; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Allergens; Allergens - immunology; allergic transfusion reaction; Allergies; allergy; Animals; antibodies in blood; Arthropod Venoms - immunology; Blood & organ donations; Blood Donors; Blood Transfusion; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Food allergies; Food Hypersensitivity - blood; Food Hypersensitivity - immunology; Humans; Hypersensitivity - blood; Hypersensitivity - immunology; IgE in blood donors; Immunoglobulin E; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Male; Mast cells; Middle Aged; Norway; Original; sensitized blood donors; Transfusion Reaction - immunology; Venom; Norway; allergy; allergic transfusion reaction; sensitized blood donors; Immunoglobulin‐E; antibodies in blood; IgE in blood donors
• ISSN: 0300-9475; 1365-3083; 1365-3083
• DOI: 10.1111/sji.13425

Allergen‐specific immunoglobulin‐E (As‐IgE) in blood donors (BD) can be transferred to transfusion recipients via plasma‐containing blood components (PCBC) and sensitize recipient's mast cells. These cells can activate upon allergen exposure and cause allergy. This study aimed to assess sensitization profiles against an array of allergens in BD to identify donors with As‐IgE and explore if this IgE can lead to allergic symptoms in recipients. Furthermore IgE sensitization was characterized in donors of PCBC that were associated with allergic transfusion reactions (ATR) in recipients. Serum samples from 300 randomly selected BD (RSBD) and 40 BD selected following 26 ATRs in patients transfused with PCBC from these donors were collected. IgE sensitization was tested by a line‐blot enzyme‐immunoassay and an ELISA‐based IgE multiplex assay. Thirty‐eight per cent of the RSBD had IgE to one or several allergens. High IgE levels with a potential to transfer to recipients of PCBC were also detected in some BD. Investigation of 2/3 of the PCBC from sensitized RSBD revealed no reports of ATR in recipients. IgE testing of donors associated with an ATR showed sensitization in 65% of the cases. We conclude that IgE testing of BD can reveal sensitization to different allergens, even though persons with severe allergies are not accepted as BD. The sensitization frequency appears higher in BD of PCBC that led to an ATR compared to the RSBD. No reports on ATR were found for PCBC from sensitized RSBD. More studies are needed to address the role of IgE‐sensitization of BD in ATR. Allergenic antibodies (IgE) in Norwegian blood donors towards inhalant, food and insect venom allergens. Exploring if their IgE sensitization patterns are similar to IgE patterns of blood donors where the blood transfusion caused an allergic transfusion reaction in the recipient.