HONEYBEE VENOM SPECIFIC IGG SUBCLASS ANTIBODIES IN BRAZILIAN BEEKEEPERS AND IN PATIENTS ALLERGIC TO BEE STINGS

Fifty-nine beekeepers who had been practicing apiculture for more than 2 years were selected in order to determine the distribution of bee v enom specific IgG subclasses using ELISA. The assays were standardized into arbitrary units. For comparison, IgG subclasses were determined in eight individuals allergic to bee stings who did not receive specif ic treatment. No correlation was detected between beekeeping time and specific IgG1, IgG2 or IgG4 levels. There was a correlation between Ig G2 levels and mean number of stings per month received by the beekeepe rs. Twenty-five percent of the beekeepers presented bee venom specific IgE class II or more in an ELISA assay. The IgG1 levels detected in b eekeepers were similar to those detected in allergic individuals. lgG2 and IgG4 levels were significantly higher in beekeepers than in aller gic individuals. IgG3 was not detected in any group studied. In conclu sion, the maintenance of high levels of bee venom specific IgG2 and Ig G4 represents a characteristic of beekeepers. These subclasses may be related to a modulatory effect of IgG on allergic reactions.