Clinical & Experimental Allergy | 2019
Human monoclonal antibodies to Ara h 2 inhibit allergen‐induced, IgE‐mediated cell activation
Abstract
Peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT) induces specific antibodies (IgG1, IgG4 and IgA) that are hallmarks of a successful response to allergen specific immunotherapy (1, 2). Ara h 2 and Ara h 6 are the two most potent peanut allergens for IgE-mediated activation of mast cells (3-5). Overall, these two allergens are 59% homologous, with 75% homology in the α-helical regions and up to 95% homology in IgE binding linear sequences [7]. Ara h 2-specific memory B cells were isolated from three patients undergoing peanut OIT using flow cytometric sorting of allergen-binding B cells. The heavy and light chain variable regions from single-sorted specific B cells were amplified and expressed as IgG1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (6). Sixteen unique mAb were analyzed. The serum pool contained sera from 10 peanut allergic donors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.