Measurement of Specific IgG Anti-Fel d 1 Antibodies

There is currently considerable interest in the role of specific IgG antibodies in allergy. Several studies suggest that specific IgG antibodies may play a protective role in allergy. Successful immunotherapy is associated with increases in allergen-specific IgG antibodies which correlate with clinical outcome. Other studies have identified an inverse relationship between exposure to cat and sensitization, which was associated with high-titer-specific IgG and IgG₄. This immune response was described as a modified Th2 response, since both IgE and IgG₄ require Th2 cytokine IL-4 for their production. A modified Th2 response was described with laboratory animal allergy, where there was almost a twofold reduction in the risk of developing work-related chest symptoms.In this chapter, we review the major factors to be considered in the development of an ELISA for the determination of specific IgG and IgG₄ antibodies.