Increases in allergen-specific IgE in BAL after segmental allergen challenge in atopic asthmatics.

IgE is important in both early and late allergic responses. Increases in the numbers of RNA transcripts coding for IgE have been observed in the bronchial mucosa of asthmatics and in the nasal mucosa of hay fever patients both during natural allergen exposure and after nasal allergen challenge, suggesting that IgE may be synthesized locally in the mucosa. In this study we have examined bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) taken before and 24 h after bronchoscopic segmental allergen challenge from 18 atopic asthmatic patients, looking for evidence of increases in IgE protein.