Repeated Amblyomma testudinarium tick bites are associated with increased galactose-?-1,3-galactose carbohydrate IgE antibody levels: A retrospective cohort study in a single institution - 12/05/18
, Toshiharu Fujiyama, MD b, Takatsune Umayahara, MD a, Reiko Kageyama, MD a, Andrew F. Walls, PhD c, Takahiro Satoh, MD, PhD dAbstract |
Background |
Alpha-gal syndrome is a hypersensitivity reaction to red meat mediated by IgE antibody specific to galactose-α-1,3-galactose carbohydrate (alpha-gal). Amblyomma tick bites are associated with this condition, but the pathophysiology is not understood.
Objective |
To clarify the mechanism of development of alpha-gal syndrome after tick bites.
Methods |
We compared alpha-gal antibody levels between patients with and without a history of tick bites and examined histologic stainings of tick bite lesions between patients with and without detectable alpha-gal IgE antibody.
Results |
Patients who had ≥2 tick bites had higher levels of alpha-gal IgE antibody compared with those with only 1 tick bite or healthy individuals. On histologic investigation, greater numbers of basophils and eosinophils, but not mast cells, were observed infiltrating lesions of patients with ≥2 tick bites compared with those with 1 tick bite. Type 2 cytokine-producing T-cell infiltration was predominantly observed in such patients.
Limitations |
The study was conducted at a single institution in Japan.
Conclusion |
In Amblyomma tick bite lesions, basophils; eosinophils; and type 2, cytokine-producing T cells infiltrate the skin and alpha-gal IgE antibodies are produced. These findings provide a potential mechanistic connection between Amblyomma bites and red meat hypersensitivity.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key words : alpha-gal syndrome, basophil, eosinophil, interferon γ, interleukin 4, tick bite, type 2 T cell
Abbreviations used : alpha-gal, IFN, IL, TH2
Plan
| Funding sources: Partly supported by Health and Labour Sciences Research Grants (Research on Intractable Diseases) from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan. |
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| Conflicts of interest: None disclosed. |
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| Reprints not available from the authors. |
Vol 78 - N° 6
P. 1135 - juin 2018 Retour au numéro
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