ISOTYPIC ANALYSIS OF GRASS-POLLEN-SPECIFIC IMMUNOGLOBULINS IN HUMAN PLASMA .2. QUANTIFICATION OF THE IGE, IGM, IGA CLASS AND THE IGG SUBCLASS ANTIBODIES

Previously, the specificity of human immune responses to Dactylis pollen was analyzed in 26 plasma samples with high levels of grass-pollen-specific IgG4 ('IgG4+ plasma', largely from grass-pollen-allergic patients), as compared to 25 plasma samples with low grass-pollen-specific IgG4 ('normal plasma', from nonatopic individuals). In the present study, a quantification of the Dactylis-pollen-specific IgE, IgM, IgA class and IgG subclass antibodies in these plasma samples is proposed. Isotypic distribution in IgG4+ plasma was 68% IgG [IgG2 (38%) > IgG4 (30%) > IgG1 (19%) > IgG3 (13%)], 27% IgM, 4% IgA and 0.05% IgE. In normal plasma it was 73% IgM, 20% IgG [IgG3 (38%) > IgG2 (33%) > IgG1 (29%) > IgG4 (0%)],6% IgA and 0.006% IgE. In IgG4+ plasma, specific IgE, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4 concentrations were positively correlated between each other. Finally, the present study clearly confirmed the possible role of the C(H) gene regulation in allergic diseases.