Immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies against IgE identified by basophil activation test as the putative causative agent of a serious allergic transfusion reaction: potential utility of the test as a new safety measure for allergic transfusion reactions.

BACKGROUND: In most cases of allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs), the causative agents have not been identified and the mechanisms are largely unknown, with a few exceptions. The basophil activation test (BAT) was recently introduced in the field of transfusion to investigate the causal relationships between ATRs and transfusion, as well as the mechanisms behind them.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The BAT was used to screen the residual supernatants (SNs) of 43 blood components associated with serious ATRs for those that can activate basophils of many healthy volunteers. The SNs were then fractionated by centrifugal ultrafiltration and protein G column chromatography and each separated fraction was reexamined by the BAT.

RESULTS: Of the 43 such blood components, one activated basophils from 19 of 21 healthy volunteers. In the blood component, the IgG antibody against IgE was identified as a putative causative agent.

CONCLUSION: Blood donors who possessed the IgG antibody against IgE may be dangerous to transfusion recipients. The BAT would be useful in identifying such high-risk blood donors, when it is used to screen the blood components associated with serious ATRs for residual SNs that can activate the basophils of many healthy volunteers.