Relationship between platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase activity and apolipoprotein B levels in patients with peanut allergy

Short report

Boris Perelman, Areej Adil and Peter Vadas

Author Affiliations

For all author emails, please log on.

Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2014, 10:20  doi:10.1186/1710-1492-10-20

Published: 28 April 2014

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a highly potent phospholipid mediator responsible for the life-threatening manifestations of anaphylaxis. PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) inactivates PAF and protects against severe anaphylaxis whereas deficiency of PAF-AH predisposes to severe or fatal anaphylaxis. Determinants of PAF-AH activity have not been studied in patients with peanut allergy.

Objectives

To determine whether plasma PAF-AH activity in patients with peanut allergy is related to formation of circulating complexes with apolipoprotein B (apoB) the main surface protein on low density lipoprotein particles.

Methods

Plasma PAF-AH activity and apoB concentrations were measured in 63 peanut allergic patients (35 boys, 28 girls, ages 2 - 19 years). ApoB concentration was measured immunoturbidimetrically using goat anti-human apoB. The correlation between PAF-AH activity and apoB concentration was determined.

Results

A positive correlation was found between PAF-AH activity and apoB concentration (r2 = 0.59, P - 0.0001).

Conclusion

In peanut allergic patients, PAF-AH activity strongly correlates with apoB concentration, suggesting the presence of circulating PAF-AH- lipoprotein complexes.

The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. The fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.