FRAGILITY OF SKIN MAST CELLS DUE TO ADHESION OF IgE IN ALLERGIC PATIENTS, MEASURED BY CHALLENGE OF COMPOUND 48/80 SOLUTIONS

Abstract

threshold titer of skin test due to challenge of a seriesof compound 48/80 and/or rabbit anti-IgE serum solutions, and total IgE titer in serum gained by RIST were measured in patients with bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and urticaria. In addition, normal subjects and non-allergic patients were also tested with compound 48/80 solutions as the control groups. Allergic patients, especially asthmatic ones of atopic type, showed high sensitivity to compound 48/80 in skin test, compared with normal subjects and patients with other diseases. Total IgE titer in serum was highest in the asthmatic patients, especially of atopic type, and high in patients with allergic rhinitis and urticaria. Among allergic patients, a parallel correlation was recognized between threshold titer of skin test challenged with compound 48/80 solutions and total IgE titer in serum by RIST, with high rate of correlation coefficient. This threshold titer of skin test challenged with compound 48/80 was also parallel with that by the use of anti-IgE serum solutions. Total IgE titer in serum represents the quantity of free IgE from mast cells (not yet adhered), and threshold titer of skin test by challenge of anti-IgE serum solutions is considered to be parallel to the adherence of IgE on skinmast cells. In fact, there was a parallel correlation recognized between total IgE in serum and threshold titer of skin test by anti-IgE serum solutions. Accordingly, the above mentioned results suggest that adherence of IgE on mast cells may enhance degranulation process of mast cells due to challenge of compound 48/80 as one of non specific stimulants.