BACKGROUND The gene of the beta subunit of the high affinity receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon RI-beta) encoded on chromosome 11q13 has recently been identified as a candidate gene for asthma and atopy. Two coding variations, E237G and I181L have been described as being associated with asthma and atopy. Our aim was to investigate a Swiss population of atopic and asthmatic children for variations in ...

Although mast cells accumulate within the mucosal epithelial layer of patients with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma, the responsible chemotactic factors are undefined. We investigated whether mast cells sensitized with Ag-specific IgE migrate toward the Ag. MC/9 mast cells sensitized with anti-DNP IgE migrated toward DNP-conjugated human serum albumin. This migration was directional, and...

Immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated activation of mast cells has long been thought to occur only when Fc(epsilon)RI receptor-bound IgE is cross-linked via multivalent antigens. However, recent studies have raised the possibility that mast cells may be activated by the binding of IgE to the Fc(epsilon)RI receptor in the absence of antigen. Here we demonstrate that IgE binding without antigen induces t...

Analysis of mRNA from multiple sclerosis lesions revealed increased amounts of transcripts for several genes encoding molecules traditionally associated with allergic responses, including prostaglandin D synthase, histamine receptor type 1 (H1R), platelet activating factor receptor, Ig Fc epsilon receptor 1 (Fc epsilon RI), and tryptase. We now demonstrate that, in the animal model of multiple ...

The linker for activation of T cells (LAT) is an adaptor protein critical for Fc epsilon RI-mediated mast cell activation. LAT is a substrate of the tyrosine kinases activated after TCR and Fc epsilon RI engagement. After phosphorylation of the cytosolic domain of LAT, multiple signaling molecules such as phospholipase C-gamma1, Grb2, and Gads associate with phosphorylated LAT via their SH2 dom...

IgA, the predominant isotype in secretions, mediates the neutralization and removal of environmental antigens from mucosal sites. Although cell surface receptors for the Fc region of IgA (Fc alpha R) have been implicated in a variety of immune effector mechanisms, the molecular features of Fc alpha R remain only marginally characterized. In this report, we describe the isolation of a clone from...

An immunotherapeutic vaccine for allergy was produced by designing IgE-based synthetic peptide immunogens and selecting them for functional immunogenicity. The vaccine targets the binding site on IgE for the high affinity receptor Fc epsilon RI, by active immunization. The peptide target site on IgE heavy chain was selected from among the amino acid sequences for the C epsilon 2, C epsilon 3, a...

Dendritic cells are equipped with lectin receptors to sense the extracellular environment and modulate cellular responses. Human plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) uniquely express blood dendritic cell antigen 2 (BDCA2) protein, a C-type lectin lacking an identifiable signaling motif. We demonstrate here that BDCA2 forms a complex with the transmembrane adapter Fc epsilon RI gamma. Through pat...

Passive gaze estimation is usually performed by locating the pupils, and the inner and outer eye corners in the image of the driver’s head. Of these feature points, the eye corners are just as important, and perhaps harder to detect, than the pupils. The eye corners are usually found using local feature detectors and trackers. In this paper, we describe a passive driver gaze tracking system whi...