Inflammation

Cell culture studies suggest a CD23-mimicking single-domain antibody against IgE could help treat allergy. The single-domain neutralizing antibody mimics CD23, the low-affinity Fc receptor for IgE, to bind IgE with a K_d of 1.4 nM. On basophils isolated from patients with birch pollen, wasp or honeybee allergy that were sensitized to inhaled or injected allergen, the antibody decreased the numbers of surface IgE molecules compared with an inactive mutant of the single-domain antibody or Xolair omalizumab, which binds the high-affinity Fc receptor-binding region of IgE. In peripheral blood from patients with birch pollen allergy exposed to allergen, the single-domain antibody decreased basophil activation by 50-95% compared with no treatment. Next steps could include testing the single-domain antibody in animal models of allergy...