The allergic march from Staphylococcus aureus superantigens to immunoglobulin E.

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal bacterium in the respiratory tract mucosa of most people and infects the skin of atopic dermatitis patients. This might imply a symbiotic relationship between host and bacterium or a standoff between bacterial infection and the host immune system. But superantigens produced by S.

Germinal-centre reactions in allergic inflammation.

Primary and secondary immune responses in the germinal centres of lymphoid organs have been studied in the past. There is now compelling evidence of a third stage in the immune response, in 'tertiary lymphoid organs' that develop at sites of chronic inflammation in response to persistent local antigen challenge. Germinal-centre-like reactions are well-documented in the target organs of autoimmune diseases.

Biased use of VH5 IgE-positive B cells in the nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis.

Background: IgE antibody-producing B cells are enriched in the nasal mucosa in patients with allergic rhinitis because of local class switching to IgE. The expressed IgE VH genes also undergo somatic hypermutation in situ to generate clonal families. The antigenic driving force behind these events is unknown.