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Low specific IgE, IgG and lymphocyte reactivity in a group of patients developing anaphylaxis following a honey‐bee sting
Author(s) -
LOMNITZER RUTH,
LANNER A.,
RABSON A. R.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1988.tb02841.x
Subject(s) - immunoglobulin e , sting , immunology , anaphylaxis , antibody , lymphocyte , medicine , allergy , honey bee , biology , ecology , engineering , aerospace engineering
Summary Ten patients who developed severe generalized reactions following a honey‐bee sting were investigated for the presence of specific IgE and IgG antibodies, and for lymphocyte reactivity following in‐vitro honey‐bee venom (HBV) stimulation. Five of the patients (high responders) showed high HBV‐specific IgE and IgG levels, whereas the other five patients (low responders) showed low HBV‐specific IgE and IgG levels. Mononuclear cells from the high responder group incorporated significant amounts of 3 H‐thymidine when activated with pure bee venom, whereas insignificant lymphocyte proliferation was observed in the low‐responder group. It is concluded that, amongst HBV‐sensitive patients, a group of low responders exists in whom the mechanism of anaphylaxis cannot be explained.