Conclusion
By generating progenitor-cell derived basophils in high-yield we have
developed a flow cytometry-based basophil activation test for use with
stored serum which can be used to assess reactivity to both food and
inhalant allergens. By incorporating fluorescent barcoding, we have
increased the throughput of the assay, reducing costs significantly. We
identified wide variability in trajectories of response to allergen in
different subjects, and responses were muted in the presence of the
anti-IgE treatment omalizumab, indicating that this test better reflects
the overall immune milieu rather than just specific IgE. For subjects
who had undergone oral food challenge to peanut, we were able to use
results of PCBAT to predict clinical reactivity to peanut. The
correlation of PCBAT to clinical reactivity to inhaled cat allergen may
represent a safe and robust way of identifying those asthmatics who
might benefit from interventions for ongoing cat allergen exposure.
Although further evaluation is required, this proof of concept study
indicates that this test may have a role in food and inhalant allergy
testing as a means of identifying clinically important sensitisations.
Table I Demographic description of the study groups.