The biology of IgE: Molecular mechanism restraining potentially dangerous high serum IgE titres in vivo

Abstract

Our knowledge about the regulation of the expression of IgE and its biological function is at best limited. We do, however, know that the production of IgE is tightly regulated which is reflected by the fact that the steady-state serum levels of IgE in mice and humans are 3-4 orders of magnitude lower if compared to IgG1, which is an immunoglobulin isotype expressed in response to the same cytokine milieu. What are the rate-limiting steps responsible for this discrepancy? In the following chapter six molecular mechanisms restraining IgE levels will be discussed in detail. The understanding of these mechanisms, combined with the analysis of the biological function of the IgE molecule during an immune response, is the prerequisite for the establishment of new systemic IgE-targeted therapeutic strategies in the future. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010. All rights reserved.