Monoclonal antibodies to immunoglobulin G4 induce histamine release from human basophils in vitro

Monoclonal murine antibodies to human IgE, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgM, and IgA1 were prepared and their abilities to stimulate histamine release from human peripheral blood leukocytes were investigated. As expected, anti-IgE caused 8% to 76% histamine release from the leukocytes of each of 14 nonallergic donors. In one subject anti-IgE alone had no effect, but a 15% histamine release did occur after the subsequent addition of a goat anti-mouse IgG antiserum to crosslink cell-bound anti-IgE molecules. Anti-IgG4 alone caused 5% to 59% histamine release from the cells of four of 14 donors. Subsequent challenge with goat anti-mouse IgG caused an additional release of up to 15% of the basophil histamine, but only from leukocytes of donors responsive to anti-IgG4 alone. No histamine release was detected after stimulation by monoclonal antibodies to IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgM, or IgA1. The results of this study indicate that monoclonal antibodies to IgG4 as well as to IgE can stimulate human peripheral blood leukocytes to release histamine. These observations support the theory that antigen-IgG4 interactions can stimulate histamine release from human basophils.