Evaluation of lymphocyte proliferative responses to food antigens with regard to age and food-specific IgE antibodies in food-sensitive atopic dermatitis.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), selected for sensitivity to hen's egg or cow's milk, showed significant proliferation in response to food antigens, ovalbumin or bovine serum albumin compared with PBMCs from nonatopic control subjects. The proliferative responses of PBMCs to food antigens were evaluated with regard to age and specific IgE antibodies to food antigens in food-sensitive patients with AD. There were no differences in proliferation between each age group, and the proliferation in patients with AD was significantly higher than in age-matched control subjects. There was no relationship between proliferative responses of PBMCs and specific IgE antibodies to food antigens in patients with AD. These results suggest that the responsiveness of lymphocytes to food antigens is independent of age and food-specific IgE antibodies in food-sensitive patients with AD.