Clin Nutr Res.  2014 Jan;3(1):9-16. 10.7762/cnr.2014.3.1.9.

Basophil Activation Test with Food Additives in Chronic Urticaria Patients

• Kang MG
• Song WJ
• Park HK
• Lim KH
• Kim SJ
• Lee SY
• Kim SH
• Cho SH
• Min KU
• Chang YS

• KMID: 2279616
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2014.3.1.9

Abstract

The role of food additives in chronic urticaria (CU) is still under investigation. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between food additives and CU by using the basophil activation test (BAT). The BAT using 15 common food additives was performed for 15 patients with CU who had a history of recurrent urticarial aggravation following intake of various foods without a definite food-specific IgE. Of the 15 patients studied, two (13.3%) showed positive BAT results for one of the tested food additives. One patient responded to monosodium glutamate, showing 18.7% of CD203c-positive basophils. Another patient showed a positive BAT result to sodium benzoate. Both patients had clinical correlations with the agents, which were partly determined by elimination diets. The present study suggested that at least a small proportion of patients with CU had symptoms associated with food additives. The results may suggest the potential utility of the BAT to identity the role of food additives in CU.

Keyword

Urticaria; Food additives; Hypersensitivity; Basophil activation test; Monosodium glutamate; Sodium benzoate

MeSH Terms

Basophils*
Diet
Food Additives*
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Immunoglobulin E
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium Glutamate
Urticaria*
Food Additives
Immunoglobulin E
Sodium Benzoate
Sodium Glutamate

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Basophil activation test results for patient 1 showing monosodium glutamate (MSG) hypersensitivity. (A) The basophils were identified as SSClow/CCR3high from the gated lymphocytes. (B) As a negative control, background basophil activation with stimulation buffer only (1.3%). (C) As a positive control, basophil activation with anti-specific IgE antibody (71.4%). (D) The percentage of activated basophils stimulated with MSG was 18.7%. The stimulation index (SI) with MSG was 15.0.

• 

  Figure 2 Basophil activation test results for patient 2 showing sodium benzoate hypersensitivity. (A) The basophils were identified as SSClow/CCR3high from the gated lymphocytes. (B) As a negative control, background basophil activation with stimulation buffer only (3.1%). (C) As a positive control, basophil activation with anti-specific IgE antibody (8.3%). (D) The percentage of activated basophils treated with sodium benzoate was 37.5%. The stimulation index (SI) with sodium benzoate was 12.1.

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