Basophils and mast cells in chronic idiopathic urticaria

Abstract

Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is diagnosed in patients when urticarial eruptions recur for more than 6 weeks, and no specific cause is determined. Given that urticaria resembles the lesions induced by injection of histamine or allergen into the skin, a role for mast cells or basophils has been proposed in the generation of localized urticarial lesions. However, currently, the exact mechanisms governing regional mast cell or basophil activation are unknown. In the past decade, there has been mounting interest in viewing CIU as an autoimmune disease, given the presence of circulating autoantibodies to IgE or the alpha subunit of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FceRI) in a subset of patients. In this review, we propose that in addition to autoantibodies, specific differences in the expression of FceRI-signaling molecules in the basophils or mast cells of CIU patients may contribute to the generation of urticarial eruptions.

Successful Treatment of Recalcitrant Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria With Sulfasalazine

“…A recent publication reports a difference in the FcεRI-signaling molecules in basophils and mast cells of patients with CIU that may be critical for development of urticaria. 48 In the 1990s, Lee and Kim 49 demonstrated reduced histamine release in the peritoneal mast cells of rats, when treated with sulfasalazine. Similar studies on human mast cells and basophils found the opposite, ie, that sulfasalazine enhanced IgE-induced histamine release.…”

Basophil CD63 expression in chronic spontaneous urticaria: correlation with allergic sensitization, serum autoreactivity and basophil reactivity

“…Basophils are the rarest type of leucocytes in human peripheral blood, making up less than 0.5% of the total white blood cell count in healthy individuals. Decreased basophil numbers in patients with CSU indicate their role in the activation and function of the cells …”

“…Decreased basophil numbers in patients with CSU indicate their role in the activation and function of the cells. 4,5 CD63 is a tetraspanin normally expressed only on the membrane of the lysosomes in the inactive basophils and mast cells. Upon activation, it moves to the surface of basophils along with degranulation.…”

Development of a microarray-based method to detect exposure of human basophils to IL-3

“…The basis for this cellular state is unknown but the spontaneous release behavior has been associated with atopy and asthma or with food allergies (May, 1976; Findlay and Lichtenstein, 1980; May and Remigio, 1982; Tung and Lichtenstein, 1982; Peters et al, 1985). In a subpopulation of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria, one finds basophils whose responsiveness to IgE-mediated stimulation is blunted (Kern and Lichtenstein, 1976; Luquin et al, 2005; Vonakis and Saini, 2005; Vasagar et al, 2006; Baker et al, 2008). It has been proposed that changes in the expression of SHIP (SH2-containing inositol 5′ phosphatase) is associated with poor release from this type of basophil (Vonakis et al, 2007) but the precise nature of the phenotype remains unclear.…”