The effect of stimuli on basophil-mediated atopic responses during asthmatic lying-in women and in newborns.

Morbidity from allergic diseases is increasing. Basophils play a critical role in systemic anaphylaxis and chronic allergic inflammation. The prenatal environment must be regarded as a possible early risk factor for allergic diseases in children. Our objective was to determine if basophils harvested from neonates genetically predisposed to atopic disease had different levels of CD63 expression and IL-4 release properties in response to various stimuli (peptidoglycan, Dermatophagoides farinae, hyperosmotic mannitol). Blood samples were collected from 16 asthmatic and 18 healthy women and their newborns. Peripheral blood basophil histamine was measured using the human basophil degranulation test (HBDT), whereas activation was assessed by flow cytometric measurement of CD63 expression on the cord blood basophil surface. IL-4 levels were quantified by ELISA following allergen stimulation. The basophil degranulation index (DI) in granulocytes harvested from the peripheral blood of asthmatic women was assessed ...