Abstract
We have established a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for anti-IgE autoantibody of IgG class. The specificity of this autoantibody was confirmed by both competitive inhibition and absorption experiments using human IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and three different IgE myeloma proteins. The anti-IgE autoantibody was detected in 40/43 (95.5%) of atopic asthma patients and in 13/18 (72.2%) of non-atopic asthma patients. Significant difference in levels of the anti-IgE autoantibody was observed between normal controls and asthmatic patients, in atopic (p<0.005) and in non-atopic (p<0.05). Significant correlation was observed between levels of the anti-IgE autoantibody and total IgE levels (r=0.476, p<0.01).
