IgE receptors and serum IgE in pollinosis. The influence of season and action of ketotifen.

In the present study we have analyzed the correlation between bound and free IgE in two groups of patients with sensitization to grass pollen; 15 of these patients only presented symptoms of rhinitis, while the other 17 patients had symptoms associated with bronchial asthma. The study was carried out after, and during the pollen season. We observed that no correlation existed between bound and free IgE in the rhinitic group after pollen season, while there was correlation with the same group of patients during the pollen season. On the contrary, the asthmatic group obtained a good correlation between bound and free IgE after the pollen season, rather than within the pollinization period. In view of these results, we can affirm that the relationship which exists between free and membrane-associated IgE varies, depending on the type of individual and the seasonal period at the time the measurements were carried out. At the same time and in order to analyze the dynamics of action of ketotifen, we studied the effect of this drug on the amount of membrane-associated IgE, for which we employed an enriched population of basophils maintained in culture. From the results obtained we deduced that in no way does ketotifen affect the receptor expression for IgE. Therefore, the possible mechanism of action of ketotifen could be directed toward the interior of, rather than the exterior of the plasmatic membrane.