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Original Article
 

Is the Quantification of Antigen-Specific Basophil Activation a Useful Tool for Monitoring Oral Tolerance Induction in Children With Egg Allergy?
 

Gamboa PM1, Garcia-Lirio E1, Gonzalez C2, Gonzalez A2, Martinez-Aranguren RM3, Sanz María L3

1Servicio de Alergia, Hospital Universitario de Basurto, Bilbao, Spain
2Servicio Pediatría, Hospital Universitario de Basurto, Bilbao, Spain
3Departamento de Alergología e Inmunología Clínica, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2016; Vol. 26(1): 25-30
doi: 10.18176/jiaci.0004
 

 Abstract


Objectives: To assess modifications in baseline specific IgE- and anti-IgE- and antigen-specific–mediated basophil activation in egg-allergic children. The values were compared before and after the children completed specific oral tolerance induction (SOTI) with egg.

Patients and Methods: We studied 28 egg-allergic children who completed SOTI with egg. The basophil activation test and specific IgE determinations with egg white, ovalbumin, and ovomucoid were performed in all 28 children.

Results: A decrease in antigen-specific activation with egg white, ovalbumin, and ovomucoid was observed only at the 2 lowest concentrations used (5 and 0.05 ng/mL). Baseline activation was higher in patients with multiple food allergies and in those who developed anaphylaxis during SOTI; this activation decreased in both groups after completion of SOTI. A significant decrease was also observed in specific IgE values for egg white, ovalbumin, and ovomucoid after tolerance induction.

Conclusions: Food tolerance induction is a specific process for each food that can be mediated by immunologic changes such as a decrease in specific IgE values and in specific and spontaneous basophil activation.

Key words: Egg allergy. Oral tolerance induction. Basophil activation test. Specific IgE. Anaphylaxis.