In vitro synthesis of IgE antibody by human tonsil mononuclear cells. Preliminary report

Using anti-human IgE monoclonal antibody E235I63, an IgE antibody to mite extract response by peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and tonsillar lymphoid cells from 3 atopic patients suffering nasal allergy and 2 normal individuals was detected by a sensitive radioimmunoassay of culture supernatants. Although the spontaneous IgE antibody response was characteristic of atopic PBL, PBL of normal controls did not produce anti-mite IgE antibody spontaneously. IgE antibody to mite extracts were detected in supernatants of all tonsillar cells cultured with mite antigen or PWM, but PBL from only atopic donors could produce IgE antibody in the same conditions.