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IgG4 prohibits cell activation in peanut-sensitized children
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Immunoglobulin G4 antibodies prohibited major peanut allergen reactions in patients sensitized but tolerant to peanuts, according to study results.
“This study shows that oral tolerance to foods is associated with the presence of [Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)] in the context of patients who are producing Immunoglobulin E antibodies,” Alexandra F. Santos, MD, MSc, of the department of pediatric allergy, division of asthma, allergy and lung biology at King’s College in London, and colleagues wrote. “Our results suggest that this might be due to a direct causal effect of IgG4, or, alternatively, to a related effect, such as IL-10.”
Alexandra F. Santos
Santos and associates studied 228 children with peanut allergy (n = 108), sensitization to peanut but tolerant (n = 77) and children who were not sensitive and not allergic to peanut (n = 43) to determine if specific antibodies help to prohibit the development of peanut allergy.
Sixty-nine percent of the participants with peanut allergy were sensitized to more than one peanut allergen, while 61% of participants with peanut sensitization were more likely to be sensitized to one or none of the major peanut allergens. Peanut-sensitized children had IgG4 levels that were 1.6-fold greater than that of participants with peanut allergy (P = .012).
“Patients with peanut allergy tended to have higher levels of IgE to peanut and peanut major allergens, and peanut-sensitized patients showed a predominance of IgG4 over IgE,” the researchers wrote.
Disclosure: Santos reports receiving research support from the Medical Research Council, the National Peanut Board, the Immune Tolerance Network/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Institute for Health Research; and travel support from the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. See the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.