Serum IgE Induced Airway Smooth Muscle Cell Remodeling Is Independent of Allergens and Is Prevented by Omalizumab

Airway wall remodeling in allergic asthma is reduced after treatment with humanized anti-IgE-antibodies. We reported earlier that purified IgE, without the presence of allergens, is sufficient to induce airway wall remodeling due to airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) activity deposing extracellular matrix.

We postulate that IgE contained in serum of allergic asthma patients, in the absence of allergens, stimulates ASMC remodeling activities and can be prevented by anti-IgE antibodies.

Isolated human ASMC were exposed to serum obtained from: (i) healthy controls, or patients with (ii) allergic asthma, (iii) non-allergic asthma, and (iv) atopic non-asthma patients. Proliferation and the deposition of collagens and fibronectin were determined after 3 and 5 days.

Serum from patients with allergies significantly stimulated: (i) ASMC proliferation, (ii) deposition of collagen type-I (48 hours) and (iii) of fibronectin (24 hours). One hour pre-incubation with Omalizumab prevented these three effects of allergic serum, but had no significant effect on serum from healthy donors or non-allergic asthma patients. Interestingly, the addition of allergens did not further increase any of the IgE effects.

Our data provides experimental evidence that the beneficial effect of Omalizumab on airway wall remodeling and improved lung function may be due to its direct action on IgE bound ASMC.