Autoreactive T cells in chronic idiopathic urticaria target the high-affinity IgE receptor Iα subunit (FcεRIα)
-
1
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Australia
-
2
Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Australia
Background. Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is the recurrence of “hives” without an apparent trigger. 50% of CIU patients have IgG autoantibodies to the FcεRIα on dermal mast cells and basophils, which upon activation release mediators responsible for urticaria. T cells are present in the skin lesions but autoantigen-specific T cells have not been identified in CIU.
Aims. We aimed to identify autoreactive T cells to FcεRIα in CIU, to help elucidate the pathogenesis and to improve the diagnosis of this disease.
Methods. Peripheral blood T-cell responses to FcεRIα were assayed in 30 CIU and 18 control subjects. Cell proliferation was measured by CFSE dye dilution. IFN-γ, IL-5 and IL-13 secretion were measured by ELISpot. Serum autoantibodies to FcεRIα were measured by immunoprecipitation of 125I-labelled FcεRIα.
Results. We detected significant CD4+ T-cell proliferation to FcεRIα in 30% of CIU 0% of control subjects. IFN-γ responses were detected in 58% of CIU subjects, while IL-5 and IL-13 responses were detected in 29% and 37% of CIU subjects respectively. We detected autoantibodies to FcεRIα in 45% of CIU and 0% of control subjects. Overall, at least one FcεRIα-specific response was detected in 97% of CIU and only 5% of control subjects.
Conclusion. Autoreactive CD4+ T cells specific for FcεRIα were detected in a proportion of subjects with CIU and, in combination with the assay for autoantibodies to FcεRIα, may improve the diagnosis of CIU.
Keywords:
Urticaria,
autoimmune disease,
Immunodermatology,
T cells,
immunopathology
Conference:
15th International Congress of Immunology (ICI), Milan, Italy, 22 Aug - 27 Aug, 2013.
Presentation Type:
Abstract
Topic:
Immune-mediated disease pathogenesis
Citation:
Auyeung
P,
Mittag
D,
Hodgkin
PD and
Harrison
LC
(2013). Autoreactive T cells in chronic idiopathic urticaria target the high-affinity IgE receptor Iα subunit (FcεRIα).
Front. Immunol.
Conference Abstract:
15th International Congress of Immunology (ICI).
doi: 10.3389/conf.fimmu.2013.02.00910
Copyright:
The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers.
They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters.
The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated.
Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed.
For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions.
Received:
28 Jun 2013;
Published Online:
22 Aug 2013.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Priscilla Auyeung, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, Australia, auyeung@wehi.edu.au