Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2025
Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis
Published on: May 31, 2021
Peripheral blood T-cell modulation by omalizumab in chronic urticaria patients
Cristina López1,2, Nathalie Depreux3, Isabel Bielsa4
1Immunology Division, Laboratori Clinic Metropolitana Nord (LCMN), Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital and Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain.
Background:
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a highly prevalent and difficult to manage cutaneous disease characterized by the presence of recurrent urticaria, angioedema, or both, for a period of 6 weeks or longer. One of the biological treatments used for patients with CSU with an autoimmune background and bad control of the disease is omalizumab, an anti-IgE monoclonal antibody. The understanding of the mechanism of action of this biological drug in CSU along with the identification of potential biomarkers of clinical response can be helpful in the personalized management of the disease.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of omalizumab on peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with CSU in order to identify potential biomarkers of treatment response.
Methods:
We analyzed 71 patients with CSU [33 under omalizumab and 38 under non-immunomodulatory drugs (treated with antihistamines; NID)] and 50 healthy controls. An exhaustive immunophenotyping of whole blood T-cell subpopulations, including naïve, central memory, effector memory, effector cells, Th1, Th2, and Th17 was performed by multiparametric flow cytometry. Moreover, in CSU patients, we analyzed markers of inflammation (ESR, DD, CRP), atopy (prick test, IgE quantification), and autoimmunity (anti-thyroid antibodies and indirect basophil activation test).To evaluate the clinical activity, the Urticaria Activity Score 7 (UAS 7) test was used.
Results:
In patients with CSU under treatment with omalizumab, there was a significant decrease in the percentage of naïve and an increase in the percentage of central memory CD4 T cells as well as a decrease in the percentage of naïve and increase in the percentage of effector CD8 T-cell subsets. Moreover, patients under treatment with omalizumab had higher percentages of Th1 and Th2 cells than patients under treatment with NID.
Conclusion:
The immune monitoring of T-cell subpopulations in patients with CSU starting omalizumab, may be a useful strategy to analyze treatment response in the clinical practice.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Antiasthma Drugs: Mast Cell Stabilizers and Anti-IgE Drugs
Mast cell stabilizers, such as cromolyn (also known as sodium cromoglycate) and nedocromil (Tilade), are effective drugs in asthma management. These stabilizers hinder histamine release by skillfully obstructing the activation of mast cells and other cellular entities. Notably, they navigate this task without...
01:19Antiasthma Drugs: Leukotriene Modifiers
Leukotriene modifiers work through two distinct mechanisms:
01:24T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...