Allergic responses are initiated by interaction of allergens with immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, which in turn bind to IgE receptors on the surface of mast cells. Suzuki et al. (see the Perspective by Daëron) explored how the signaling properties of such receptor complexes differ, depending on the affinity of the IgE antibody for the antigen leading to different allergic responses.
R. Suzuki, S. Leach, W. Liu, E. Ralston, J. Scheffel, W. Zhang, C. A. Lowell, J. Rivera, Molecular editing of cellular responses by the high-affinity receptor for IgE. Science 343, 1021–1025 (2014). [Abstract] [Full Text]
M. Daëron, Signaling shifts in allergy responses. Science 343, 982–983 (2014). [Abstract] [Full Text]