Autoreactive T cells in chronic spontaneous urticaria target the IgE Fc receptor Iα subunit

Abstract

Background Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is the recurrence of urticaria without an apparent trigger. Half of the patients with CSU have IgG autoantibodies to FcεRIα on dermal mast cells and basophils, which on activation release mediators responsible for urticaria. IgG autoantibodies infer the presence of antigen/disease-specific T cells and CSU lesions are characterized by T-cell infiltration, but antigen/disease-specific T cells have not been documented in patients with CSU. Objective We aimed to identify autoreactive T cells to FcεRIα in patients with CSU and determine their relationship with autoantibodies to FcεRIα and their diagnostic value. Methods T-cell responses to FcεRIα wer..