The Asthma and Allergic Disease Center proposal deals with two aspects of allergic inflammation: 1) the regulation of IgE antibody formation; and 2) IgE-induced late reactions. Concernin IgE antibodies, we will determine the effect of ragweed immunotherapy on the affinities of IgE antibodies to ragweed antigen E (AgE). We will develop more sensitive radioimmunoassays for detection of in vitro responses of cells producing IgE protein and IgE antibody. By studying sting-sensitive patients who receive honeybee venom immunotherapy, we will determine the effect of such immunotherapy on the IgE and IgG antibody responses to several purified honeybee venom components, and attempt to correlate these antibody levels with the development of clinical immunity to stings. Lastly, we will continue work on defining the chemical structure of the antigenic and allergenic determinants of ragweed AgE and antigen Ra3. Concerning late IgE-induced bronchial inflammatory lesions, we will continue to establish guinea pig models for these late reactions and investigate the localization of guinea pig major basic protein in the bronchial lesions.
| Plager, Douglas A; Davis, Mark D P; Andrews, Amy G et al. (2009) Eosinophil ribonucleases and their cutaneous lesion-forming activity. J Immunol 183:4013-20 |
