IgE-autoantibodies in patients with atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complicated and multifactorial disease. Autoimmune reactions to own antigens (Ag) revealed in AD patients can aggravate a clinical course of this disease. The aim of the study was to identify IgE antibodies (IgE-Abs) to tissue Ags in AD patients and to evaluate a relationship between the levels of these IgE-Abs and the level of the total IgE. Serum samples from 75 AD patients and 24 healthy persons of different age were examined with enzyme immunoassay for IgE-Abs to 7 tissue Ags (keratin, collagen of type III and VI, elastin, myosin, myelin basic protein - MBP, thyroglobulin), total IgE and IgE-Abs to exoallergens. The levels of IgE-Abs to all investigated tissue Ags (except for MBP) were higher (p < 0.05) in AD patients than in healthy persons. Incidence rate of IgE-Abs to various tissue Ags varied widely (39-78%) and did not depend upon age. Significant correlations were found between the levels of IgE-Abs to collagen of type VI (r = 0.32), thyroglobulin (r = 0.78) and of total IgE. Therefore, most of stimulating IgE-autoreactivity Ags are involved in the pathologic process in AD, keratin, collagen of type IV, thyroglobulin being more important. This may aggravate an AD course.