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Updated: May 21, 2026

Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis
Published on: May 31, 2021
CTAB-coated gold nanorods elicit allergic response through degranulation and cell death in human basophils
Ka Lun Cheung1, Huanjun Chen, Qiulan Chen
1Programme of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Shatin, NT, Hong Kong. kalun2004@cuhk.edu.hk
Abstract:
The effect of CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide)- or PEG (polyethylene glycol)-coated gold-nanorods (Au-NRs) on the non-IgE mediated allergic response was studied. We found that the CTAB-Au-NRs released more allergic mediators such as histamine and β-hexosaminidase from human basophil KU812, a common model for studying allergy, after 20 min incubation. Also, the CTAB-Au-NRs induced more apoptosis than the PEG-Au-NRs in KU812 24 h after treatment. These short- and long-term effects were not solely due to the CTAB residues in the supernatant desorbed from the Au-NRs.
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