Abstract
The prevalence of allergies has increased over the last four decades. In allergic reactions, mast cells induce a hypersensitive immune response to a substance that is normally harmless. Ionizing radiation has different biological effects depending on the dose and dose rate. In this study, we investigated whether low-dose irradiation before (preventative effect) or after (therapeutic effect) an antigen-antibody reaction has an anti-allergic effect. To test this, we activated rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) mast cells with anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl IgE (antibody) and 2,4-dinitrophenyl human serum albumin, which served as an antigen. To test for both the potential of a preventative effect and a therapeutic effect, we irradiated mast cells both before and after mast cell activation, and we measured mediator release and signaling pathway activity. Low-dose ionizing radiation suppressed mediator release from RBL-2H3 mast cells activated by the antigen-antibody reaction regardless of when the mast cells were irradiated. These results were due to the suppression of FcεRI expression. Therefore, we suggest that low-dose ionizing radiation has a preventative and therapeutic effect in allergic reactions via the FcεRI-mediated RBL-2H3 mast cell activation system.
Highlights
According to the survey of World Allergy Organization, about 22 percent of the world’s population suffers from allergic disease[1]
To investigate the preventative and therapeutic effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on IgE-mediated mast cell activation, mast cells were irradiated before or after they were sensitized by dinitrophenyl (DNP)-immunoglobulin (Ig) E and treated with dinitrophenyl-human serum albumin (DNP-HSA) (Fig. 1)
Crosslinking of FcεRI with IgE and an antigen activates non-receptor-associated protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKs), including Lyn, Syk, PKCs, and PLCγ, and these pathways eventually lead to degranulation[11,12,13]
Summary
According to the survey of World Allergy Organization, about 22 percent of the world’s population suffers from allergic disease[1]. In the type 2 immune responses, antigen-specific IgE induce mast cell activation through binding to the high-affinity receptor, FcεRI, for IgE of mast cells[6,7]. The engagement of FcεRI on mast cells activates multiple signaling pathways and release a various inflammatory mediators result in biological response[11]. Protein-tyrosine kinase such as Lyn, Syk, and Btk[11] control the degranulation of the mast cells and mitogen-activated protein kinase regulates cytokine expression by FcεRI engagement[14]. Low-dose whole-body gamma irradiation has been shown to activate immune reactions in several ways, but the effect and mechanism of low-dose radiation on allergic reactions remain poorly understood. We investigated whether low-dose irradiation, before and after the antibody-antigen reaction, can induce anti-allergic effects
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
