THE EFFECTOR-CELLS OF ALLERGY - BIOLOGICA L PRINCIPLES AND NEW PHARMACOLOGICAL CONCEPTS

The clinical symptoms of allergy are caused by cellular (IgE-triggered ) responses to an allergen. Effector cells of allergy include eosinoph il and basophil granulocytes, as well as tissue mast cells. Growth and accumulation, as well as IgE-dependent and independent functions of t hese cells are regulated by distinct proteohormones and peptides. The hemopoietic cytokines IL-3 (interleukin-3), IL-5 and GM-CSF (granulocy te- macrophage colony-stimulating factor) are involved in the regulati on of basophils (and eosinophils), whereas the ligand for c-kit, SCF ( stem cell factor) is a mast cell-specific agonist. Basophils and mast cells express high-affinity IgE-binding sites. Allergen binding to IgE on mast cells and basophils, and consecutive crosslinking of IgE rece ptors is followed by production and/or secretion of inflammatory media tor substances. Specific activation and deactivation of mast cells/bas ophils in vitro has been demonstrated by use of recombinant cytokines and allergens, and specific haptens or by use of novel drugs, and shou ld lead to epitope-specific diagnosis and better management of allergi c diseases in the future.