Plasma contact system activation drives anaphylaxis in severe mast cell-mediated allergic reactions

Anaphylaxis is an acute, potentially lethal, multisystem syndrome resulting from the sudden release of mast cell-derived mediators into the circulation.

We report here that a plasma protease cascade, the factor XII-driven contact system, critically contributes to the pathogenesis of anaphylaxis in both murine models and human subjects.

Deficiency in or pharmacologic inhibition of factor XII, plasma kallikrein, high-molecular-weight kininogen, or the bradykinin B2 receptor, but not the B1 receptor, largely attenuated allergen/IgE-mediated mast cell hyperresponsiveness in mice. Reconstitutions of factor XII null mice with human factor XII restored susceptibility for allergen/IgE-mediated hypotension. Activated mast cells systemically released heparin, which provided a negatively charged surface for factor XII autoactivation. Activated factor XII generates plasma kallikrein, which proteolyzes kininogen, leading to the liberation of bradykinin. We evaluated the contact system in patients with anaphylaxis. In all 10 plasma samples immunoblotting revealed activation of factor XII, plasma kallikrein, and kininogen during the acute phase of anaphylaxis but not at basal conditions or in healthy control subjects. The severity of anaphylaxis was associated with mast cell degranulation, increased plasma heparin levels, the intensity of contact system activation, and bradykinin formation.

In summary, the data collectively show a role of the contact system in patients with anaphylaxis and support the hypothesis that targeting bradykinin generation and signaling provides a novel and alternative treatment strategy for anaphylactic attacks.