Chronic urticaria sera increase basophil CD203c expression

• Published in: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2006-06, Vol.117 (6), p.1430-1434
• Main Authors: Yasnowsky, Karen M., Dreskin, Stephen C., Efaw, Benjamin, Schoen, David, Vedanthan, P.K., Alam, Rafeul, Harbeck, Ronald J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Allergic diseases; Allergies; autoantibodies; autoimmunity; autologous serum skin test; basophil histamine release; basophils; Basophils - immunology; Basophils - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; CD203c; Chronic Disease; Chronic idiopathic urticaria; Down-Regulation - immunology; flow cytometry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Histamine Release - immunology; Humans; IgG Deficiency - blood; Immunopathology; Medical sciences; Patients; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - biosynthesis; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - genetics; Proteins; Pyrophosphatases - antagonists & inhibitors; Pyrophosphatases - biosynthesis; Pyrophosphatases - genetics; Serum - immunology; Skin allergic diseases. Stinging insect allergies; Studies; Up-Regulation - immunology; Urticaria - blood; Urticaria - immunology
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825; 1365-2567
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2006.02.016

Approximately 40% of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria have antibodies to the α subunit of the high-affinity IgE receptor. CD203c is a basophil activation marker known to be upregulated by cross-linking of the FcɛRIα receptor and may serve as a useful marker to identify these patients. The primary objective was to assess the affect of sera from patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria on basophil CD203c expression. Secondary objectives were to correlate CD203c expression with basophil histamine release and size of the autologous serum skin test and to determine whether the mechanism is mediated by an IgG antibody. Sera were obtained from patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria and positive autologous serum skin test or negative autologous serum skin test and normal controls. Sera were incubated with donor whole blood. Activated basophils from whole blood were identified by flow cytometry on the basis of the presence of CD203c on high-expressing IgE positive cells. Incubation of donor basophils with sera from patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria and positive autologous serum skin test demonstrated significant upregulation of CD203c. IgG depletion of representative sera from patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria resulted in significant decrease in CD203c expression on donor basophils. CD203c expression correlated with basophil histamine release and the size of the autologous serum skin test. Sera from patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria and positive autologous serum skin test significantly upregulate basophil CD203c and correlate with basophil histamine release. This article describes an activation marker on basophils whose expression is increased by sera from patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria.