laminaran and Aspergillosis--Allergic-Bronchopulmonary

To investigate the modulation of B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) expression on the basophil membrane of allergic patients. BAFF is an important regulator of B-cell activation, proliferation and immunoglobulin production, which may play a role in respiratory allergic diseases in promoting the production of IgE by B cells.. Peripheral blood samples of 10 patients with allergic rhinitis, 3 with severe asthma and fungal sensitization (SAFS), 3 with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and 11 healthy controls were assessed regarding BAFF (CD257) expression using the basophil activation test before and after stimulation with IgE and allergens, as well IgE-independent stimuli, like fMLP, lipotheichoic acid from Staphylococcus aureus (LTA-SA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS).. BAFF membrane expression did not change after IgE and allergen stimulation both in patients and controls, while it was upregulated by Aspergillus stimulation, both in sensitized patients and controls. In both patients and controls, BAFF expression was significantly upregulated following LTA-SA and β-1,3-glucan exposure (toll-like receptor-2 ligands), but not following LPS stimulation.. Basophils from allergic and healthy subjects constitutively express membrane BAFF, which is not upregulated by IgE or specific allergens but by TLR-2 ligands (LTA-SA and β-1,3-glucan). Aspergillus fumigatus stimulation was able to upregulate BAFF expression on the basophils of sensitized asthmatic patients, but not via IgE-dependent mechanisms, since results did not differ between the patient and control groups. These findings suggest that basophils may contribute to the polyclonal production of IgE commonly observed in patients with SAFS and ABPA.

Topics: Adult; Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary; Aspergillus fumigatus; Asthma; B-Cell Activating Factor; B-Lymphocytes; Basophils; beta-Glucans; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin E; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Membrane Proteins; Middle Aged; Rhinitis, Allergic; Tetraspanin 30; Toll-Like Receptor 2; Up-Regulation

We measured the plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan (beta-DG) levels in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and compared their temporal changes with those of serum IgE and eosinophil counts in the peripheral blood. The subjects were three ABPA patients who were newly diagnosed or had had a relapse between May 1998 and April 1999. Before treatment, all three cases showed high plasma beta-DG values, which declined following corticosteroid treatment with or without oral itraconazole. In two cases, the beta-DG values rose again on relapse. beta-DG values showed a tendency to change in parallel with IgE, although they moved in the opposite direction after a relapse in one case. The present findings suggest that the plasma beta-DG level may be a useful follow-up indicator of the infectious aspect of this disease.

Topics: Aged; Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary; beta-Glucans; Biomarkers; Female; Glucans; Humans; Immunoglobulin E; Itraconazole; Male; Middle Aged; Prednisolone; Recurrence

The value of the measurement of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, a major and common cell wall constituent of fungi, for diagnosing pulmonary aspergillosis was assessed in comparison with that of conventional examinations. The concentrations of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in sera was elevated in 7 out of 8 patients with active aspergillosis, but not in cases without active diseases, except for one sample. Further, the concentrations well reflected the activity of the aspergillosis in each case. Regarding conventional examinations, with the immunodiffusion test it was difficult to detect the present activity of the disease. The radioallergosorbent test was useful for diagnosing bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, but not for other types of aspergillosis. The Aspergillus-specific component, galactomannan, was insensitive and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay gave highly variable results. Thus, although the assessment of the specificity of the assay is still necessary, compared with other tests, the assay of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan has the advantage of diagnosing pulmonary aspergillosis and also of assessing the disease activity.

Topics: Antibodies, Fungal; Aspergillosis; Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary; Aspergillus; beta-Glucans; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Glucans; Humans; Lung Diseases; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Necrosis; Radioallergosorbent Test