Relationship among total tear IgE, specific serum IgE, and total serum IgE levels in patients with pollen-induced allergic conjunctivitis

Abstract

Background Recently, the number of patients with pollinosis, particularly Japanese cedar pollinosis, has markedly increased. We previously reported about local allergic conjunctivitis, which is a phenotype of allergic conjunctivitis (AC). AC cases are often sensitized by various antigens. This study aimed to investigate the relationship among total tear IgE (t-tIgE), specific serum IgE (s-sIgE), and total serum IgE (t-sIgE) levels in patients with pollen-induced AC. Methods In 2019, 1372 patients were clinically diagnosed with AC at the Yamana Eye Clinic using t-tIgE, t-sIgE, and s-sIgE tests against 39 allergens. Among the pollen-induced AC patients who underwent allergen testing, 99 tested positives for s-sIgE against pollen. The subjects comprised 33 (33.3%) male and 66 (66.7%) female individuals aged 9–86 years. Results The t-tIgE test was positive in 68 (68.7%) patients and negative in 31 (31.3%) patients. In the t-sIgE test, 45 (45.5%) patients had t-sIgE levels above the reference value of 170 IU/mL. The higher the total score of the positive class value of each pollen-specific IgE (pollen-sIgE) antibody, the higher the positive rate of t-tIgE (p < 0.001). Of 32 patients in whom food-specific IgE (food-sIgE) was detected, 81.3% of the pollen-sIgE-positive and food-sIgE-positive cases were also positive for t-sIgE and t-tIgE. However, significant difference was not found between the total score of food-sIgE of the t-tIgE positive group and negative group. Conclusions Pollen-induced AC is caused by pollen sensitization of the conjunctiva. Food-induced AC might be induced by the different pathological mechanism involved in pollen-induced AC.

Total IgE in tears accurately reflects the severity and predicts the prognosis of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis

“…Recently, Yamana et al. 37 also found that pollen‐induced AC can be caused by pollen sensitization in the conjunctiva since pollen‐specific IgE antibodies have a higher total tear IgE positive rate than other antigens. This further confirms our results.…”

“…It is possible that this is because we analyzed the total IgE in tears and not specifically pollen IgE. Recently, Yamana et al 37 also found that pollen-induced AC can be caused by pollen sensitization in the conjunctiva since pollenspecific IgE antibodies have a higher total tear IgE positive rate than other antigens. This further confirms our results.…”

Allergenicity Alleviation of Bee Pollen by Enzymatic Hydrolysis: Regulation in Mice Allergic Mediators, Metabolism, and Gut Microbiota

“…Generally, food allergy is an IgE-mediated type I hypersensitivity, which can induce immune cells to produce IgE antibodies [ 36 , 37 , 38 ]. Dot-blot assay was used to semi-quantitatively analyze the level of IgE antibodies in mice serum.…”

Ocular allergy in children and adolescents

“…Elevated serum and tear IgE levels can be demonstrated in approximately 78 and 96% of patients with SAC, respectively. 29 Elevated mite-specific serum IgE levels can be demonstrated in 89% of patients with PAC and 43% of patients with SAC. In tear film, mite-specific IgE can be detected in 78% of patients with PAC, but it is rarely present in those with SAC.…”

“…Eotaxin and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) stimulate migration of eosinophil and Th2 cell from the circulation, respectively. 29,31 Patients with OA present with ocular and periocular pruritus, hyperemia, lacrimation, ocular foreign body sensation, sensitivity to light, and ocular secretions. Most of the time, symptoms are bilateral.…”