Rhinitis symptoms caused by grass pollen are associated with elevated basophile allergen sensitivity and a larger grass-specific immunoglobulin E fraction

• Published in: Clinical and experimental allergy Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 49 - 57
• Main Authors: Zidarn, M., Košnik, M., Šilar, M., Grahek, A., Korošec, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2012; Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Allergens; Allergens - immunology; Allergic rhinitis; Allergies; basophil activation; Basophils - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; CD63; CD63 antigen; Female; Fractions; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; grass pollen; Grasses; Histamine; Humans; IgE fraction; Immunoglobulin E; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nasal Provocation Tests; Non tumoral diseases; Nose; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Phleum - immunology; Plant Proteins - immunology; Plant reproduction; Pollen; Pollen - immunology; Pollination; Provocation tests; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - diagnosis; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - immunology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - physiopathology; Severity of Illness Index; Skin tests; symptom scores; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; Young Adult; Allergy; CD63; Monocotyledones; Nose disease; Rhinitis; Granulocyte; IgE fraction; Activation; Basophil; Association; Immunology; Gramineae; basophil activation; Angiospermae; ENT disease; Immunopathology; Specific IgE; grass pollen; Symptomatology; Sensitivity; Score; symptom scores; Spermatophyta; allergic rhinitis; Allergen
• ISSN: 0954-7894; 1365-2222
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2011.03838.x

Summary Background The mechanisms responsible for the difference between clinically irrelevant IgE‐sensitization and allergic rhinitis are not fully understood. Objective We evaluated the humoral and cellular mechanisms that may be associated with the presence of allergic rhinitis symptoms. Methods We selected 26 subjects with positive grass pollen skin tests and IgE antibodies to Timothy (g6) and the major grass allergens rPhl p 1, 5b. Fourteen of those patients reported a history of allergic rhinitis. During winter, we performed a grass pollen CD63 basophile activation test using four log allergen concentrations, followed by a grass nasal provocation test (NPT). We obtained symptom scores in the subsequent pollination season. Results We showed that subjects with a positive NPT have significantly higher CD63 basophile grass pollen responsiveness than NPT‐negative subjects, preferably at submaximal allergen concentrations, which represent cellular sensitivity. Moreover, basophile sensitivity positively correlated with the size of the grass‐specific IgE fraction in relation to total IgE, and it was highly predictive of allergic rhinitis symptoms in the following pollination season. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance Allergic rhinitis symptoms are significantly associated with allergen‐specific basophile sensitivity. In vitro evaluation of basophile sensitivity should prove useful for distinguishing clinical phenotype of allergic sensitization.