Urticaria autoantibodies

Antibodies directed against FceRI were recently described in chronic urticaria. In 32% of 37 patients with chronic urticaria, autoantibodies directed to FceRI were found. The specificity of these antibodies to FceRI was confirmed by their immunoprecipitation with FceRIa from FceRIay-transfected cells. These autoantibodies were not found in the serum from AD patients or healthy controls. In contrast, IgG anti-IgE were detected in the majority of the serum of chronic urticaria and AD patients and in some sera from healthy controls (91). Both types of antibodies proved to be functional by histamine release activity, but not in all patients (92). The autoantibodies against FceRI in CIU occur mainly in the IgGl and IgG3 subclasses (93). 

Hide M, Francis DM, Grattan CEH, Hakimi J, Kochan JP, Greaves MW Autoantibodies against the high-affinity IgE receptor as a cause of histamine release in chronic urticaria. N Engl J Med 1993 328 1599. Sd... 

Another report found that 60% of the patients with chronic urticaria had functional antibodies directed to FceRI and 10% anti-IgE autoantibodies. In these studies, the presence of anti-FceRI and anti-IgE autoantibodies was correlated with the clinical features of 107 CIU patients (96). Patients with autoantibodies demonstrated significantly higher wheal scores, a higher number of involved sites, and association with higher itch scores. Associated systemic symptoms were significantly higher in patients with autoantibodies. Patients with autoantibodies seem to have more severe urticaria associated with low serum IgE and... 

Sabroe RA, Grattan CE, Francis DM, Barr RM, Kobza Black A, Greaves MW. The autologous serum skin test a screening test for autoantibodies in chronic idiopathic urticaria. Br 1 Dermatol 1999 140(3) 446-452. 

Fiebiger E, Maurer D, Holub H, Reininger B, Hartmann G, Woisetschlager M, Kinet JP, Stingl G. Serum IgG autoantibodies directed against the alpha chain of Fc epsilon RI a selective marker and pathogenetic factor for a distinct subset of chronic urticaria patients J CUn Invest 1995 96(6) 2606-2612. 

Niimi N, Francis DM, Kermani F, O Donnell BF, Hide M, Kobza-Black A, Winkelmann RK, Greaves MW, Barr RM. Dermal mast cell activation by autoantibodies against the high affinity IgE receptor in chronic urticaria. J Invest Dermatol 1996 106(5) 1001-1006. 

Sabroe RA, Poon E, Orchard GE, Lane D, Francis DM, Barr RM, Black MM, Black AK, Greaves MW. Cutaneous inflammatory cell infiltrate in chronic idiopathic urticaria comparison of patients with and without anti-Fc epsilon RI or anti-IgE autoantibodies. J Allergy CUn Immunol 1999 103(3 Pt 1) 484—493. 

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