Person:

Yen, Elizabeth Hechavarria

Background: Elevated serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E is a diagnostic marker of immediate-type allergic reactions. We hypothesize that serum IgE does not necessarily reflect total body IgE because in vivo IgE can be bound to cell surface receptors such as FcεRI and FcεRII (CD23). The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between levels of serum IgE, cell-bound IgE, and IgE-receptors on peripheral blood cells in a pediatric population. Methodology: Whole blood samples from 48 children (26 boys, 22 girls, mean age 10,3±5,4 years) were analyzed by flow cytometry for FcεRI, CD23, and cell-bound IgE on dendritic cells (CD11c+MHC class II+), monocytes (CD14+), basophils (CD123+MHC class II-) and neutrophils (myeloperoxidase+). Total serum IgE was measured by ELISA and converted into z-units to account for age-dependent normal ranges. Correlations were calculated using Spearman rank correlation test. Principal Findings: Dendritic cells, monocytes, basophils, and neutrophils expressed the high affinity IgE-receptor FcεRI. Dendritic cells and monocytes also expressed the low affinity receptor CD23. The majority of IgE-receptor positive cells carried IgE on their surface. Expression of both IgE receptors was tightly correlated with cell-bound IgE. In general, cell-bound IgE on FcεRI+ cells correlated well with serum IgE. However, some patients carried high amounts of cell-bound IgE despite low total serum IgE levels. Conclusion/Significance: In pediatric patients, levels of age-adjusted serum IgE, cell-bound IgE, and FcεRI correlate. Even in the absence of elevated levels of serum IgE, cell-bound IgE can be detected on peripheral blood cells in a subgroup of patients.

Soluble IgE receptors are potential in vivo modulators of IgE-mediated immune responses and are thus important for our basic understanding of allergic responses. We here characterize a novel soluble version of the IgE-binding alpha-chain of Fc-epsilon-RI (sFc(\epsilon)RI), the high affinity receptor for IgE. sFc (sFc(\epsilon)RI immunoprecipitates as a protein of ~40 kDa and contains an intact IgE-binding site. In human serum, sFc (sFc(\epsilon)RI) is found as a soluble free IgE receptor as well as a complex with IgE. Using a newly established ELISA, we show that serum sFc(\epsilon)RI levels correlate with serum IgE in patients with elevated IgE. We also show that serum of individuals with normal IgE levels can be found to contain high levels of sFc( \epsilon )RI. After IgE-antigen-mediated crosslinking of surface Fc(\epsilon)RI, we detect sFc(\epsilon)RI in the exosome-depleted, soluble fraction of cell culture supernatants. We further show that sFc(\epsilon)RI can block binding of IgE to Fc(\epsilon)RI expressed at the cell surface. In summary, we here describe the alpha-chain of Fc(\epsilon)RI as a circulating soluble IgE receptor isoform in human serum.