Potentially pathogenic IgG autoantibodies to IgE or its receptor, Fc epsilonRIalpha, have been detected in approximately 40% of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) patients. CIU patients' basophils display distinct altered Fc epsilonRIalpha-mediated degranulation. CIU patients with basophil histamine release in response to polyclonal goat anti-human IgE > or = 10% are classified as CIU responders (CIU-R) and < 10% are CIU non-responders (CIU-NR). We compared the presence of autoantibodies to basophil degranulation phenotypes and to disease status (active or inactive). Sera were collected from non-CIU subjects and CIU subjects who participated in a longitudinal study of disease severity and had defined basophil degranulation phenotypes. Immunoenzymetric assays (IEMA) quantified IgG anti-Fc epsilonRIalpha and anti-IgE. IgG anti-Fc epsilonRIalpha antibody was detected in 57% of CIU-R (n=35), 55% of CIU-NR (n=29), and 57% of non-CIU subjects (n=23), whereas IgG anti-IgE was present in 43% of CIU-R, 45% of CIU-NR, and 30% of non-CIU subjects. Both the autoantibody levels and the functional basophil phenotype remained stable in subjects with active disease (n=16), whereas there was an enhancement in basophil function as subjects evolved into a state of remission (n=6), which appears independent of the presence of autoantibody. IEMAs detected a similar frequency of autoantibodies in CIU-R, CIU-NR, and non-CIU subjects. Basophil function may be independent of IEMA-detected autoantibodies.

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BACKGROUND Omalizumab treatment suppresses FcεRI expression faster on blood basophils than skin mast cells. OBJECTIVE We utilized omalizumab to elucidate the relative contributions of basophil versus mast cell FcεRI activation in a nasal allergen challenge (NAC) model. METHODS Eighteen cat-allergic subjects were enrolled in a 3.5-month, double-blind, randomized (3.5:1), placebo-controlled trial of omalizumab using standard dosing. At baseline, subjects underwent NAC with lavage for PGD2 measurement, skin prick test titration (SPTT), and blood sampling for basophil histamine release (BHR) and basophil IgE/FcεRI measurements. Basophil studies were repeated at day 3 and then weekly until cat allergen-induced BHR was <20% of baseline or until day 45. Baseline visit procedures were repeated after the BHR reduction (mid-study NAC) and at the treatment period’s completion (final NAC). RESULTS Subjects treated with omalizumab who completed all NACs (n=12) demonstrated significant mean reduction in BHR to an optimal dose of cat allergen by mid-study NAC as compared to baseline (74% decrease, p=0.001). In addition, these subjects demonstrated significant decreases in mean combined nasal symptom scores (50% decrease, p=0.007) and total sneeze counts (59% decrease, p=0.01) by mid-study NAC relative to baseline NAC. In contrast, measures of mast cell response (SPTT and nasal lavage PGD2) were only significantly reduced by the final NAC. Subjects on placebo (n=4) did not experience a shift in basophil, NAC symptom, or mast cell measures. CONCLUSIONS Reduction in nasal symptom scores occurred when the basophil, but not mast cell, response was reduced on omalizumab, implicating a role for basophils in the acute NAC response.

Background Monoclonal antibodies directed at IgE demonstrate clinical efficacy in subjects with peanut allergy, but previous studies have not addressed the kinetics of the clinical response or the role of mast cells and basophils in the food-induced allergic response. Objective We sought to determine the kinetics of the clinical response to omalizumab and whether clinical improvement is associated with either mast cell or basophil suppression. Methods Subjects with peanut allergy were treated with omalizumab for 6 months and assessed for clinical and cellular responses. At baseline, subjects had a double-blind, placebo-controlled oral food challenge (OFC), skin prick test titration (SPTT), and basophil histamine release (BHR) to peanut. BHR was repeated at week 2 and then weekly until it decreased to less than 20% of baseline values. The OFCs and SPTTs were repeated after the BHR reduction (or at week 8 if BHR did not decrease) and again at 6 months. Results Fourteen subjects enrolled in the study. At the second food challenge, there was a significant increase in the threshold dose of peanut inducing allergic symptoms (80 to 6500 mg, P < .01). Peanut-induced BHR was either completely suppressed (n = 5) or 10-fold more allergen was required to induce maximal BHR (n = 9), and SPTT responses were not significantly changed from baseline. After 6 months of omalizumab, further changes in the OFC threshold dose or BHR were not observed, but a significant suppression in SPTTs was identified. Conclusions The clinical response to omalizumab occurs early in treatment when the basophil, but not the mast cell, is suppressed, supporting a role for the basophil in acute food reactions.