Fifty years later: Emerging functions of IgE antibodies in host defense, immune regulation, and allergic diseases

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 137; no. 6; pp. 1631 - 1645
• Main Author: Oettgen, Hans C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2016; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adapter proteins; Allergy and Immunology; anaphylaxis; Anaphylaxis - immunology; Anaphylaxis - metabolism; Animals; Antibody Formation - genetics; Antibody Formation - immunology; Antigens; Asthma; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Cytokines; Cytokines - metabolism; Dendritic cells; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Food allergies; Genes; Genetic engineering; Human subjects; Humans; Hypersensitivity - genetics; Hypersensitivity - immunology; Hypersensitivity - metabolism; IgE; Immunity; Immunoglobulin Class Switching - genetics; Immunoglobulin Class Switching - immunology; Immunoglobulin E - chemistry; Immunoglobulin E - genetics; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Immunoglobulins; Immunologic Memory; Immunomodulation; Inflammation; Kinases; Ligands; Lymphocytes; mast cells; Mast Cells - immunology; Mast Cells - metabolism; Receptors, IgE - metabolism; RNA polymerase; Signal transduction; T cell receptors; BAFF; Sε; CSR; SYK; IgE; Treg; anaphylaxis; IgH; mast cells; ADAM; NF-κB; DSB; STAT; VH; APC; ITAM; OVA; AID; HRF; JH; DC; Signal transducer and activator of transcription; Activation-induced cytidine deaminase; Heavy chain variable region gene; Regulatory T; Antigen-presenting cell; Histamine-releasing factor; Nuclear factor κB; Dendritic cell; Ovalbumin; Double-stranded DNA break; Immunoglobulin heavy chain; ε-Switch region; Class-switch recombination; B cell–activating factor of the TNF family; Heavy chain joining segment; J H; Spleen tyrosine kinase; A disintegrin and metalloproteinase; Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif; V H
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.04.009

Fifty years ago, after a long search, IgE emerged as the circulating factor responsible for triggering allergic reactions. Its extremely low concentration in plasma created significant hurdles for scientists working to reveal its identity. We now know that IgE levels are invariably increased in patients affected by atopic conditions and that IgE provides the critical link between the antigen recognition role of the adaptive immune system and the effector functions of mast cells and basophils at mucosal and cutaneous sites of environmental exposure. This review discusses the established mechanisms of action of IgE in pathologic immediate hypersensitivity, as well as its multifaceted roles in protective immunity, control of mast cell homeostasis, and its more recently revealed immunomodulatory functions.