Abstract
Being discovered long ago basophils have been neglected for more than a century. During the past decade evidence emerged that basophils share features of innate and adaptive immunity. Nowadays, basophils are best known for their striking effector role in the allergic reaction. They hence have been used for establishing new diagnostic tests and therapeutic approaches and for characterizing natural and recombinant allergens as well as hypoallergens, which display lower or diminished IgE-binding activity. However, it was a long way from discovery in 1879 until identification of their function in hypersensitivity reactions, including adverse drug reactions. Starting with a historical background, this review highlights the modern view on basophil biology.
Highlights
Basophils are well known for their allergic effector function, a feature applied in the basophil activation test
The subsequent intracellular signaling pathway leads to release of preformed molecules such as histamine and leukotriene C4 (LTC4), chemotactic factors like the platelet activation factor (PAF) and retinoic acid, basogranulin, cytokines including IL-4, IL-13, IL-6, TNFα, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), chemokines, and antimicrobial peptides
Basophils reacted to TLR2 stimulation with peptidoglycan by secreting the cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 but neither histamine nor LTC4 were released [118]
Summary
Basophils are well known for their allergic effector function, a feature applied in the basophil activation test. Trager described a similar basophil accumulation in the setting of a tick bite and stated that basophils are crucial for the induction of immune reactions He claimed that the histamine-induced itching was essential for the detection and removal of the tick [23]. The detailed degranulation mechanism of basophils was explained when Ishizaka and Bennich independently identified the serum factor responsible for this immediate reaction in the years from 1966 to 1968 which they agreed to call immunoglobulin (Ig) E Their experiments were based on the Prausnitz-Kustner reaction (for safety reasons not recommended as involving intradermal serum transfer from an atopic patient to a nonallergic control person) which was blocked by antiserum from fractionated serum of allergic individuals or by myeloma-derived IgE [29,30,31]. These new findings are utilized for basic and clinical research questions related to gain a deeper insight into the biology of basophils and to develop advanced diagnostic systems for patients suffering from hypersensitivity reactions
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