Flow Cytometric Basophils Activation Test as a Method of Allergy Diagnosis

Introduction: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic cytokine and a potential stimulator of permeability and lung neovascularization in asthmatics. It also plays an important role in the development of airway remodelling and in activation of many cells, including basophils. Aim: To reveal the possible role of VEGF in the activation of basophils in asthmatics-subgroups with and without irreversible bronchoconstriction. Protein CD203c on the basophils surface was used as the activation marker. To define the possible pathway of basophils VEGF-activation, the influence of a genetic factor (polymorphism del18/ ins-2549-2567 in the VEGF-promoter region) was also considered. Material and methods: Our study involved 82 patients with asthma (40 patients without and 42 patients with irreversible bronchoconstriction) and a group of 40 controls. The flow cytometric methods with anti-CD203c in the samples of basophils with increasing concentrations of VEGF was used for analysis of their activity. Genotyping for VEGF-promoter region was performed by PCR-based methods. Results: Patients with asthma and del/del genotype showed more significant differences in the basophils activation after stimulation with increasing concentrations of VEGF than asthmatics with ins/ins and ins/del genotype (p = 0.023) and controls with del/del genotype (p = 0.0006). Conclusions: Raised basophils VEGF-activation is characteristic for examined patients with asthma and might be associated with presence of polymorphism del18/ins-2549-2567 in the VEGF-promoter region. Furthermore, it may contribute to the development of airways remodelling-this pathway has not been considered yet.

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Drugs as important factors causing allergies

Żukiewicz-Sobczak¹,

Wróblewska²,

Adamczuk³

et al. 2015

pdia

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Medications can cause many adverse reactions, both non-immunologic and immunologic ones. Allergies can take many forms, allergic reactions include all types of reactions according to Gell and Coombs. Typically, allergic reactions to drugs are manifested by skin lesions such as maculopapular rash or urticaria and life-threatening systemic reactions such as anaphylaxis. Allergy to drugs is diagnosed based on medical history and a number of specific tests: skin tests, blood tests. In diagnosing the causes of anaphylaxis, the basophil activation test is used to exclude false negative and false positive results of skin tests and specific IgE levels. Allergic reactions to medications usually resolve themselves after discontinuation of the drug. Sometimes in the treatment anti-allergic drugs are used to inhibit the development of skin lesions. After observing any signs of drug allergy it is important to accurately diagnose the cause, since the subsequent exposure to the drug may lead to a strong anaphylactic reaction and consequently death.

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Flow Cytometric Basophils Activation Test as a Method of Allergy Diagnosis

Cited by 3 publications

References 14 publications

Basophil activation test in diagnosis of immediate iodinated contrast media hypersensitivity patients

Basophil activation test in diagnosis of immediate iodinated contrast media hypersensitivity patients

Vascular endothelial growth factor-activated basophils in asthmatics

Drugs as important factors causing allergies

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