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Influence of sex and age on serum total immunoglobulin E concentration in Beagles
B P Racine1, E Marti, A Busato
1Division of Immunogenetics, University of Bern, Switzerland.
Objective:
To establish an ELISA for detection of serum total IgE concentration in dogs and to analyze IgE values in a dog colony.
Animals:
147 healthy Beagles (31 males and 116 females).
Procedure:
2 canine IgE-specific polyclonal antibodies elicited by 2 recombinant fragments of the epsilon chain in hens were used to develop a capture ELISA specific for serum total IgE concentration. The IgE values were calculated by comparing serum dose-response curves (1:50 to 1:6,400) with a reference serum pool assigned 100 relative ELISA units (REU). Results-Mean IgE concentration in female Beagles was 51.2 REU (range, 0 to 337.8 REU; median, 31.4 REU), whereas mean IgE concentration in male dogs was only 7.5 REU (range, 0 to 32.6 REU; mean, 3.6 REU). Distribution of IgE values was skewed; approximately 80% of dogs had IgE values < 50 REU. Analysis of natural logarithmically transformed IgE values indicated that sex and age significantly (P < 0.05) influenced IgE values; mean serum IgE values increased until the age of 4 years. Heritability estimates of IgE concentration indicated a trend toward a genetic influence.
Conclusion:
A reliable capture ELISA specific for canine IgE was developed. Serum total IgE values vary with age and sex in the sample population.
Clinical Relevance:
Serum total IgE concentration can now be evaluated in various dog breeds and, subsequently, in dogs with IgE-mediated diseases provided that these significant influences are accounted for. Serum total IgE values may then prove to be of diagnostic value, similar to their use in human beings.