HUMAN IGE IN SEVERE COMBINED IMMUNODEFICIENCY MICE RECONSTITUTED WITHPERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS FROM DERMATOPHAGOIDES PTERONYSSINUS-SENSITIVE PATIENTS

We studied conditions of human IgE formation in severe combined immuno deficiency (SCID) mice engrafted with peripheral blood mononuclear cel ls (PBMCs) from allergic patients sensitive to Dermatophagoides pteron yssinus (D.p.t). With 10x10(6) PBMCs injected intraperitoneally, the h u-SCID mice developed an IgE response, but only if experimental animal s were immunized with the related allergen. Two routes of immunization were tested: intraperitoneal and inhalation. In these experimental co nditions (allergen given at day 14 after reconstitution), a significan t rise in total serum IgE but also in specific anti-D.pt. IgE was obse rved; No human IgE could be detected within 3-4 weeks after immunizati on with an unrelated allergen. Similarly, when mice were engrafted wit h PBMCs from nonallergic donors, even after D.pt. administration, no s ignificant increase of serum IgE was detectable, while an IgG response was regularly found. Thus SCID mice could represent a useful model to analyze IgE production as well as the conditions of immunization requ ired to obtain an optimal response.