The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Jul 2015
Clonal mast cell disorders in patients with severe Hymenoptera venom allergy and normal serum tryptase levels.
Systemic mastocytosis is a clonal mast cell (MC) disease that can lead to potentially fatal anaphylactic reactions caused by excessive MC mediator release. The prevalence of mastocytosis in patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy is high, and thus the disease should be suspected in patients with severe reactions caused by Hymenoptera stings and increased serum basal tryptase (SBT) levels. ⋯ The absence of urticaria or angioedema in severe reactions to Hymenoptera stings with hypotension might represent the most relevant factor in identifying patients with mastocytosis, regardless of their serum tryptase levels.
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Jul 2015
Genetic variation in chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1) contributes to asthma severity and airway expression of YKL-40.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1) promoter, the gene encoding YKL-40, are associated with circulating YKL-40 levels and asthma prevalence. However, the effects of gene polymorphisms on asthma severity and airway expression of YKL-40 have not been examined. ⋯ In contrast to the promoter SNP rs4950928, the intronic SNP rs12141494 in CHI3L1 is associated with asthma severity, lung function, and YKL-40 expression in the blood and airway. These data suggest that SNP rs12141494 modulates YKL-40 expression in the airway and contributes to airway remodeling and asthma severity.