Isolation and characterization of allergen-binding cells for diagnosis of hypersensitivity

US5916818A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Miltenyi Biotec, Inc. · DE

Inventors

• Johannes Irsch · Cologne, DE
• Stefan Miltenyi · Wittlich, DE
• Andreas Radbruch · Bonn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 9, 1998
• Grant date: Jun 29, 1999
• Expiry date: Mar 9, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2333/05
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods and compositions are provided for the diagnosis of allergen hypersensitivity in a patient. Rare, allergen-specific cells are enriched from a complex cell population, e.g. a patient blood sample. The percentage of blood cells that bind to a particular allergen is less than 0.01%. The allergen-specific cell population is enriched by magnetic cell sorting. In normal blood, the allergen-binding cells are primarily B-cells expressing CD19 and CD21. In blood from allergic patients, an additional population of effector cells, e.g. basophilic granulocytes is labeled by the allergen.