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Birch pollen allergy is a very frequent pathology in Europe and North America. More than 95% of the tree pollen allergic patients display IgE reactivity against Bet v 1, the major birch pollen allergen. Starting with PBL from a patient desensitized by immunotherapy, we have generated five B cell lines (BAB1 to BAB5) that secrete human IgG mAbs of high affinity for Bet v 1. Although competition studies indicated that these human IgG mAb recognized different epitopes, broad cross-reactivity was found with Bet v 1 homologous allergens present in tree pollens and plant-derived foods. When tested for interference with allergic patients' IgE, BAB1 inhibited (by 80-100%) the binding of IgE to nitrocellulose-blotted Bet v 1, while BAB2 enhanced it. The biologic significance of the ability of BAB1 to interfere with patients' IgE binding is indicated by the finding that BAB1 completely inhibited Bet v 1-induced histamine release from allergic patients' basophils. Allergen-specific human IgG mAbs such as BAB1, which presents high blocking activity in both immunochemical and cellular IgE competition experiments, might have therapeutical application.

Type

Journal

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)

Publication Date

07/1996

Volume

157

Pages

956 - 962

Addresses

Schering-Plough, Laboratory for Immunological Research, Dardilly, France.

Keywords

Basophils, Humans, Pollen, Immunoglobulin E, Immunoglobulin G, Plant Proteins, Adjuvants, Immunologic, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Binding Sites, Antibody, Allergens, Epitope Mapping, Antibody Specificity, Cross Reactions, Histamine Release, Binding, Competitive, Antigens, Plant