Absence of serum immunoglobulin E in newborns: Heterogeneity in time of synthesis in infants

Abstract

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) in serum was measured by an improved quantitative test (an assay with competitive inhibition of the binding of I125 Sha-IgE to bromacetylcellulose-anti-ND-IgE). In 31 maternal-infant pairs we confirm the absence of trans-piacental passage of IgE. Cord serum levels reported here are significantly lower than those from other laboratories; in our study half of the newborns had less than 1 ng/ml of serum IgE. No synthesis of IgE was apparent in the serum of one-third (8) of the 6-week-old infants, whereas the mean of the remainder of this group was 8.3 ng/ml. All 6-month infants had measurable IgE levels. Those 3 with clinical allergy had the highest serum IgE levels (60, 68 & 458 ng/ml). In the adult group there is a suggestive fit to the Hardy-Weinberg distribution, consistent with simple Mendelian heredity of basal IgE levels.