Chakrapani Neera, Swiontek Kyra, Hübschen Judith M, Fischer Jörg, Ruiz-Castell Maria, Codreanu-Morel Francoise, Hannachi Farah, Morisset Martine, Ollert Markus, Kuehn Annette, Muller Claude P, Hilger Christiane
Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
Clin Transl Allergy. 2024 Oct;14(10):e12396. doi: 10.1002/clt2.12396.
The α-Gal syndrome (AGS) is characterized by the presence of specific IgE-antibodies to the carbohydrate galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal). Sensitization to α-Gal has been associated with tick bites and individuals exposed to ticks have an elevated risk of sensitization. The aim of this study was to analyze IgG and IgE antibody responses to α-Gal in a high-risk cohort of forestry employees (FE) in Luxembourg.
Questionnaires and serum samples of FE from Luxembourg (n = 219) were retrospectively analyzed. α-Gal specific IgE was quantified by ImmunoCAP, α-Gal specific IgG and subclasses IgG were determined by ELISA. Additionally, sera from population-based controls (n = 150) and two groups of food-allergic patients, patients with AGS (n = 45) and fish-allergic patients (n = 22) were assessed for IgG antibody responses to α-Gal and cod extract.
Twenty-one percent of FE was sensitized to α-Gal (sIgE ≥ 0.1 kU/L). Both sensitized and non-sensitized FE exhibited high levels of α-Gal specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG3 compared with controls, indicating a stimulation of IgG responses by recurrent tick bites, independent of the sensitization status. AGS patients had the highest levels of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies, whereas the profile of fish-allergic patients was similar to the profile of the controls for which anti-α-Gal responses were dominated by IgG2 antibodies. α-Gal sIgG4 levels were either very low or undetectable in all groups.
Our study provides evidence for a continuous stimulation of α-Gal related immune responses by repeated tick bites, translating into highly elevated levels of IgG1 antibodies directed against α-Gal.
α-半乳糖综合征（AGS）的特征是存在针对碳水化合物半乳糖-α-1,3-半乳糖（α-Gal）的特异性IgE抗体。对α-Gal的致敏与蜱叮咬有关，接触蜱的个体致敏风险升高。本研究的目的是分析卢森堡林业员工（FE）这一高危队列中对α-Gal的IgG和IgE抗体反应。
对来自卢森堡的219名FE的问卷和血清样本进行回顾性分析。通过免疫捕获法对α-Gal特异性IgE进行定量，通过酶联免疫吸附测定法测定α-Gal特异性IgG及其亚类IgG。此外，还评估了来自人群对照（n = 150）以及两组食物过敏患者（AGS患者，n = 45；鱼类过敏患者，n = 22）的血清对α-Gal和鳕鱼提取物的IgG抗体反应。
21%的FE对α-Gal致敏（特异性IgE≥0.1 kU/L）。与对照组相比，致敏和未致敏的FE均表现出高水平的α-Gal特异性IgG、IgG1和IgG3，表明反复的蜱叮咬刺激了IgG反应，与致敏状态无关。AGS患者的IgG1和IgG2抗体水平最高，而鱼类过敏患者的情况与对照组相似，其抗α-Gal反应以IgG2抗体为主。在所有组中，α-Gal特异性IgG4水平要么非常低，要么无法检测到。
我们的研究为反复的蜱叮咬持续刺激α-Gal相关免疫反应提供了证据，这转化为针对α-Gal的IgG1抗体水平大幅升高。
