INDUCED AND SPONTANEOUS IGE ANTIBODIES TO DERMATOPHAGOIDES-FARINAE INDOGS AND CATS - EVIDENCE OF FUNCTIONAL-HETEROGENEITY OF IGE

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed to measure IgE antibodies specific for Dermatophagoides farinae in dogs and cats. Although higher levels were detected in atopic dogs and cats than in normal animals without skin disease, the differences were not statisti cally significant. On the other hand? levels in dogs and cats that wer e reared under laboratory conditions, and thus presumably not exposed to house dust mites, were either very low or undetectable. IgE antibod ies were induced in 10 laboratory-reared cats using low-dose antigenic stimulation in aluminium hydroxide. Ali cats developed detectable IgE , but not all developed positive skill tests. However, serum from thos e cats with positive skin tests were able to give positive Prausnitz-K ustner (PK) tests. The canine data, together with previous work on bas ophil histamine release, suggests that the distinction between atopic and normal dogs may result from a heterogeneity of either IgE or of th e high-affinity mast cell receptor. The feline data can only be explai ned by the existence of a heterogeneity of IgE.