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RBL cells expressing human Fc epsilon RI are a sensitive tool for exploring functional IgE-allergen interactions:
Donald A Dibbern1, G William Palmer, P Brock Williams
1Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Medical School Building, Room 4627, 4200 East 9th Avenue, Denver, CO 80262, USA.
Journal of Immunological Methods
|March 1, 2003
Summary
Rat basophilic leukemia cells expressing human Fc epsilon RI can detect specific allergens. This IgE-mediated degranulation assay accurately identifies peanut allergy triggers and aids in studying IgE-allergen interactions.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Allergy Research
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Rat basophilic leukemia (RBL SX-38) cells express human Fc epsilon RI (alpha, beta, gamma chains).
- These cells can be sensitized with human IgE and degranulate upon allergen exposure.
- This study investigates the utility of RBL SX-38 cells in detecting peanut allergens.
Observation:
- 18 peanut-allergic patient sera with anti-peanut IgE were used for sensitization.
- Sensitization of RBL SX-38 cells correlated strongly with anti-peanut IgE levels (r=0.95).
- Effective sera contained high levels of total IgE (>50 kU/l) and peanut-specific IgE (>15 kU/l).
Findings:
- Sensitized RBL SX-38 cells degranulated significantly with anti-IgE and crude peanut extract (CPE).
- The assay detected picogram amounts of peanut allergens in a 1:10(7) dilution of CPE.
- The assay demonstrated high specificity, with no cross-reactivity to soybean, walnut, or grass pollen allergens.
Implications:
- RBL SX-38 cells expressing human Fc epsilon RI provide a sensitive and specific model system for allergen detection.
- This model is valuable for studying IgE-allergen interactions in allergic diseases.
- The findings support the use of this cell-based assay for diagnosing and understanding food allergies.