Generation of therapeutic antibody responses against IgE through vaccination

IgE is the central mediator in atopic allergies such as hay fever, eczema, and asthma; therefore, it is a prime target in the development of allergen-independent preventive treatments. We describe an active immunization strategy that has the potential to reduce IgE to a clinically significant extent. The active vaccine component is a chimeric IgE molecule, Cepsilon2-Cepsilon3-Cepsilon4. The receptor-binding target domain, Cepsilon3, is derived from the recipient species, whereas the flanking domains, Cepsilon2 and Cepsilon4, are derived from an evolutionarily distant mammal. The flanking domains have dual functions, acting both as structural support for the Cepsilon3 domain and to break T cell tolerance by providing foreign T cell epitopes. The efficacy of the vaccine was studied in an ovalbumin-sensitized rat model. Vaccination resulted in antibody responses against IgE in all rats and in a substantial reduction in serum IgE levels in three out of four strains. The skin reactivity upon allergen challenge was significantly reduced in vaccinated animals. The vaccine appears to be safe to use as an antigen. No cross-linking activity was observed in sera of vaccinated animals, and the response to vaccination was reversible with time. Our results suggest that active immunization against IgE has the potential to become a therapeutic method for humans.