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Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis
Published on: May 31, 2021
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Basophil activation test using recombinant allergens: highly specific diagnostic method complementing routine tests
Lukas Balzer1, Davide Pennino2, Simon Blank2
1Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Biederstein, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Plos One
|October 21, 2014
Summary
Basophil activation test (BAT) using recombinant wasp venom allergens offers a more specific diagnosis for allergy compared to standard specific IgE (sIgE) tests. This advancement improves in vitro allergy diagnostics for patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Allergen diagnostics
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Skin testing for allergies carries risks, necessitating improved in vitro diagnostic methods.
- Recombinant allergens enhance specific IgE (sIgE) detection sensitivity but their role in basophil activation test (BAT) is unexplored.
- This study evaluates recombinant allergens Ves v 1, Ves v 2, Ves v 3, and Ves v 5 in both sIgE and BAT for wasp venom allergy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the diagnostic performance of recombinant wasp venom allergens in sIgE assays and BAT.
- To assess the sensitivity and specificity of Ves v 1, Ves v 2, Ves v 3, and Ves v 5 in diagnosing wasp venom allergy.
- To determine if BAT with recombinant allergens offers superior diagnostic accuracy over sIgE detection.
Main Methods:
- Specific IgE (sIgE) detection via ELISA/ImmunoCAP and Basophil Activation Test (BAT) were performed.
- A panel of recombinant allergens (Ves v 1, Ves v 2, Ves v 3, Ves v 5) was used.
- Tests were conducted on 43 wasp venom allergic patients and 17 asymptomatic controls.
Main Results:
- Basophil Activation Test (BAT) using recombinant allergens Ves v 1, Ves v 2, Ves v 3, and Ves v 5 significantly increased diagnostic specificity in wasp venom allergic individuals.
- The diagnostic accuracy of BAT with these recombinant allergens surpassed that of serum sIgE detection.
Conclusions:
- BAT with recombinant allergens Ves v 5, Ves v 3, and Ves v 1 presents a highly specific emerging in vitro method for wasp venom allergy detection.
- The application of recombinant allergens in BAT signifies progress toward reliable in vitro diagnostic tests for specific allergy diagnosis.
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