Use of humanized RBL reporter systems for the detection of allergen-specific IgE sensitization in human serum

Abstract

Determination of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in human blood samples is an important diagnostic technology for the assessment of allergic sensitization. The presence of specific IgE in human serum samples can be measured by sensitizing humanized rat basophil leukemia (RBL) cell lines with diluted serum and measuring cellular activation after challenge with the suspected allergens. This has been traditionally performed by measuring the levels of β-hexosaminidase released upon RBL degranulation. Here, we describe the use of two recently developed humanized RBL reporter cell lines, which offer higher sensitivity and are amenable to high-throughput scale experiments.