CD137-Mediated Immunotherapy for Allergic Asthma

REVIEWER COMMENTS. This was the first in vivo demonstration of specific IgG’s ability to block IgE-dependent reactions, which has been suggested for many years by the frequently observed rise in allergen-specific IgG titer during successful immunotherapy. There are potentially important large differences between the mouse model and IgG induction in the context of allergen immunotherapy, including the fact that IgG-dependent anaphylaxis is well established in mice but uncertain to even exist in humans. It is also unclear from the article how the ratio of IgG to IgE in this model compares to the ratio of IgG and IgE specific to a particular allergen in human patients. However, the authors carefully and elegantly demonstrated the capacity and mechanistic details of IgG blocking antibody in vivo and strongly support the concept of blocking IgG in the context of immunotherapy.