Search

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by intense polyclonal production of autoantibodies and circulating immune complexes. Some reports have associated SLE with a Th2 immune response and allergy. In the present study 21 female patients with SLE were investigated for total IgE and IgE antibodies to dust house aeroallergens by an automated enzyme-linked fluorescent assay, and were also evaluated for antinuclear IgE autoantibodies by a modified indirect immunofluorescence test using HEp-2 cells as antigen substrate. Additionally, immunocapture ELISA was used to investigate serum anti-IgE IgG autoantibodies. Serum IgE above 150 IU/ml, ranging from 152 to 609 IU/ml (median = 394 IU IgE/ml), was observed in 7 of 21 SLE patients (33%), 5 of them presenting proteinuria, urinary cellular casts and augmented production of anti-dsDNA antibodies. While only 2 of 21 SLE patients (9.5%) were positive for IgE antibodies to aeroallergens, all 10 patients with respiratory allergy (100%) from the atopic control group (3 males and 7 females), had these immunoglobulins. SLE patients and healthy controls presented similar anti-IgE IgG autoantibody titers (X = 0.37 +/- 0.20 and 0.34 +/- 0.18, respectively), differing from atopic controls (0.94 +/- 0.26). Antinuclear IgE autoantibodies were detected in 17 of 21 (81%) sera from SLE patients, predominating the fine speckled pattern of fluorescence, that was also observed in IgG-ANA. Concluding, SLE patients can present increased IgE levels and antinuclear IgE autoantibodies without specific clinical signs of allergy or production of antiallergen IgE antibodies, excluding a possible association between SLE and allergy.

Procedures for IgG depletion in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and schistosomiasis sera using Sepharose-protein G beads also deplete IgE. In this study, the presence of IgG anti-IgE autoantibodies in sera from patients with VL (n = 10), and hepatic-intestinal schistosomiasis (n = 10) and from healthy individuals (n = 10) was investigated. A sandwich ELISA using goat IgG anti-human IgE to capture serum IgE and goat anti-human IgG peroxidase conjugate to demonstrate the binding of IgG to the IgE captured was performed. VL sera had higher titers (p < 0.05) of IgG anti-IgE autoantibodies (OD = 2.01 ± 0.43) than sera from healthy individuals (OD = 1.35 ± 0.16) or persons infected with Schistosoma mansoni (OD = 1.34 ± 0.18). The immunoblotting carried out with eluates from Sepharose-protein G beads used to deplete IgG from these sera and goat anti-human IgE peroxidase conjugate, showed a similar pattern of bands, predominating the 75 kDa epsilon-heavy chain and also polypeptides resulting from physiological enzymatic digestion of IgE. A frequent additional band immediately above 75 kDa was observed only in VL sera.

Summary Background The mechanism(s) responsible for acquisition of maternal antibody isotypes other than IgG are not fully understood. This uncertainty is a major reason underlying the continued controversy regarding whether cord blood (CB) IgE originates in the mother or fetus. Objective To investigate the capacity of maternal IgE to be transported across the placenta in the form of IgG anti‐IgE/IgE immune complexes (ICs) and to determine the role of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in mediating this process. Methods Maternal and CB serum concentrations of IgE, IgG anti‐IgE, and IgG anti‐IgE/IgE ICs were determined in a cohort of allergic and non‐allergic mother/infant dyads. Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells stably transfected with human FcRn were used to study the binding and transcytosis of IgE in the form of IgG anti‐IgE/IgE ICs. Results Maternal and CB serum concentrations of IgG anti‐IgE/IgE ICs were highly correlated, regardless of maternal allergic status. IgG anti‐IgE/IgE ICs generated in vitro bound strongly to FcRn‐expressing MDCK cells and were transcytosed in an FcRn‐dependent manner. Conversely, monomeric IgE did not bind to FcRn and was not transcytosed. IgE was detected in solutions of transcytosed IgG anti‐IgE/IgE ICs, even though essentially all the IgE remained in complex form. Similarly, the majority of IgE in CB sera was found to be complexed to IgG. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance These data indicate that human FcRn facilitates the transepithelial transport of IgE in the form of IgG anti‐IgE/IgE ICs. They also strongly suggest that the majority of IgE in CB sera is the result of FcRn‐mediated transcytosis of maternal‐derived IgG anti‐IgE/IgE ICs. These findings challenge the widespread perception that maternal IgE does not cross the placenta. Measuring maternal or CB levels of IgG anti‐IgE/IgE ICs may be a more accurate predictor of allergic risk.

p. 1497-1501 Submitted by JURANDI DE SOUZA SILVA (jssufba@hotmail.com) on 2012-11-07T13:03:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 __www.scielo.br_pdf_bjmbr_v37n10_5126.pdf: 108316 bytes, checksum: e47e32d91bfd77bfa9a918f086bceefd (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2012-11-07T13:03:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 __www.scielo.br_pdf_bjmbr_v37n10_5126.pdf: 108316 bytes, checksum: e47e32d91bfd77bfa9a918f086bceefd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by intense polyclonal production of autoantibodies and circulating immune complexes. Some reports have associated SLE with a Th2 immune response and allergy. In the present study 21 female patients with SLE were investigated for total IgE and IgE antibodies to dust house aeroallergens by an automated enzyme-linked fluorescent assay, and were also evaluated for antinuclear IgE autoantibodies by a modified indirect immunofluorescence test using HEp-2 cells as antigen substrate. Additionally, immunocapture ELISA was used to investigate serum anti-IgE IgG autoantibodies. Serum IgE above 150 IU/ml, ranging from 152 to 609 IU/ml (median = 394 IU IgE/ml), was observed in 7 of 21 SLE patients (33%), 5 of them presenting proteinuria, urinary cellular casts and augmented production of anti-dsDNA antibodies. While only 2 of 21 SLE patients (9.5%) were positive for IgE antibodies to aeroallergens, all 10 patients with respiratory allergy (100%) from the atopic control group (3 males and 7 females), had these immunoglobulins. SLE patients and healthy controls presented similar anti-IgE IgG autoantibody titers (X = 0.37 ± 0.20 and 0.34 ± 0.18, respectively), differing from atopic controls (0.94 ± 0.26). Antinuclear IgE autoantibodies were detected in 17 of 21 (81%) sera from SLE patients, predominating the fine speckled pattern of fluorescence, that was also observed in IgG-ANA. Concluding, SLE patients can present increased IgE levels and antinuclear IgE autoantibodies without specific clinical signs of allergy or production of antiallergen IgE antibodies, excluding a possible association between SLE and allergy. Ribeirão Preto