3). The total serum IgE levels, compared to age-matched range of normal values, were increased in 8 of 17 children (47%) with food allergy from the study group. These IgE levels

ranged from 2.0 kU/l to 8180.0 kU/l (Fig. 4) and it was the highest in a 21-month-old child manifesting severe atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome. In 2 children, in whom the levels of allergen-specific IgE antibodies against cow’s milk proteins p38 MAPK inhibitor were also assessed, the results of these investigations were positive and fell above 0.35 kU/l. Food allergy in children with antibody production defects has not been hitherto extensively researched despite large numbers of observational studies suggesting that the incidence of allergic diseases may be increased in children with this type of immune deficiencies. In 1987 in his epidemiological study on immunoglobulin A deficiency, Klemola [5] draw attention to the clinical problem of concomitant occurrence of allergic diseases and hypogammaglobulinemia

in children and reported symptoms of atopic diseases in 50% of children with sIgAD. It is worth noting that the incidence of food allergy in the group of children studied was 74% and was significantly higher than in the above cited study. Furthermore, in the context of the heterogeneity of antibody production defects in children studied, PF-01367338 cell line food allergy was present in all these 14 patients in whom IgA levels were below the age-matched normal values. These findings are consistent with both the previous [6] as well as the current knowledge in the field of involvement of mucosal secretory IgA in the gut epithelial barrier function and immunological homeostasis, including antibody-mediated immune exclusion of microbial components [7] and tolerance mechanisms to foods

[8], [9] and [10]. It has also been demonstrated that serum antigen-specific IgA and IgG antibodies play an important role in protection against severe IgE-mediated Mephenoxalone food allergy, including anaphylaxis induced by ingested antigens [11]. This might imply that decreased serum neutralizing IgG and IgA antibody levels that occurs in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia, may predispose to increased intestinal mucosal permeability and systemic absorption of ingested antigens, thus posing the risk of severe food allergy. In particular, atopic children might be at high risk of systemic IgE-mediated reactions to alimentary allergens and in our study group increased levels of serum total IgE was demonstrated in 8 of 17 (47%) children with food allergy. Moreover, in 2 children high serum IgE levels (8180.0 and 3140.0 kU/l) correlated with positive (class 2 >0.7 kU/l) results of measurement of allergen-specific IgE against cow’s milk proteins, alpha-lactoalbumin and casein.