IGHE explained

Ig epsilon chain C region is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IGHE gene.^[1]

Function

IGHE (Immunoglobulin Heavy constant Epsilon), (located on chromosome 14 for humans) has been predicted to enable antigen binding activity and immunoglobulin receptor binding activity. Predicted to be involved in several processes, including activation of immune response; defense response to other organism; and phagocytosis. IGHE has also been predicted to be located in extracellular region, a part of immunoglobulin complex, circulating, and active in external side of plasma membrane. ^[2]

Structure

• IGHE (immunoglobulin heavy constant epsilon): The gene that encodes the ε heavy chain constant region for the IgE antibody. This gene is critical for the production and function of IgE in the body. The IGHE gene provides instructions for making a part of an antibody (immunoglobulin) called Immunoglobulin E, or IgE.^[3]
• IGHE is a type of functioning gene, with four Ig domains, member of the IGH constant gene cluster (component on the cluster), forming an homodimer of two E heavy chains bound by two disulfide bonds, each heavy chain is bound to a light chain (kappa or lambda), the N terminus of the heavy chain is bound to a V segment.^[4]

Allergies

Immunoglobulins also known as antibodies, are glycoprotein molecules produced by plasma cells (white blood cells^[5]). They act as a critical part of the immune response by specifically recognizing and binding to particular antigens, such as bacteria or viruses, and aiding in their destruction.^[6] Immunoglobulin E (IgE) are antibodies produced by the immune system.

Each type of IgE has specific "radar" for each type of allergen. That's why some people are only allergic to cat dander (they only have the IgE antibodies specific to cat dander); while others have allergic reactions to multiple allergens because they have many more types of IgE antibodies.^[7]

IgE-mediated food allergies is when the immune system reacts abnormally when exposed to one or more specific foods such as milk, egg, wheat or nuts. All of these foods can trigger anaphylaxis (a severe, whole-body allergic reaction) in patients who are allergic. Individuals with this type of food allergy will react quickly — within a few minutes to a few hours. Immediate reactions are caused by an allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody that floats around in the blood stream. Another useful tool in diagnosing and managing food allergies is blood testing, called allergen-specific IgE testing. This test measures the level of antibody produced in the blood in response to a food allergen.^[8]

Further reading

• Venkitaraman AR, Williams GT, Dariavach P, Neuberger MS . The B-cell antigen receptor of the five immunoglobulin classes . Nature . 352 . 6338 . 777–781 . August 1991 . 1881434 . 10.1038/352777a0 . 4246284 . 1991Natur.352..777V .
• Padlan EA, Davies DR . A model of the Fc of immunoglobulin E . Molecular Immunology . 23 . 10 . 1063–1075 . October 1986 . 3796618 . 10.1016/0161-5890(86)90005-2 .
• Flanagan JG, Rabbitts TH . The sequence of a human immunoglobulin epsilon heavy chain constant region gene, and evidence for three non-allelic genes . The EMBO Journal . 1 . 5 . 655–660 . 1984 . 6234164 . 553102 . 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1982.tb01223.x .
• Max EE, Battey J, Ney R, Kirsch IR, Leder P . Duplication and deletion in the human immunoglobulin epsilon genes . Cell . 29 . 2 . 691–699 . June 1982 . 6288268 . 10.1016/0092-8674(82)90185-4 . 54345379 .
• Ellison J, Buxbaum J, Hood L . Nucleotide sequence of a human immunoglobulin C gamma 4 gene . DNA . 1 . 1 . 11–18 . 1983 . 6299662 . 10.1089/dna.1.1981.1.11 .
• Seno M, Kurokawa T, Ono Y, Onda H, Sasada R, Igarashi K, Kikuchi M, Sugino Y, Nishida Y, Honjo T . 6 . Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequencing of human immunoglobulin epsilon chain cDNA . Nucleic Acids Research . 11 . 3 . 719–726 . February 1983 . 6300763 . 325748 . 10.1093/nar/11.3.719 .
• Ueda S, Nakai S, Nishida Y, Hisajima H, Honjo T . Long terminal repeat-like elements flank a human immunoglobulin epsilon pseudogene that lacks introns . The EMBO Journal . 1 . 12 . 1539–1544 . 1984 . 6327276 . 553248 . 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1982.tb01352.x .
• Hisajima H, Nishida Y, Nakai S, Takahashi N, Ueda S, Honjo T . Structure of the human immunoglobulin C epsilon 2 gene, a truncated pseudogene: implications for its evolutionary origin . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 80 . 10 . 2995–2999 . May 1983 . 6407005 . 393960 . 10.1073/pnas.80.10.2995 . free .
• Flanagan JG, Lefranc MP, Rabbitts TH . Mechanisms of divergence and convergence of the human immunoglobulin alpha 1 and alpha 2 constant region gene sequences . Cell . 36 . 3 . 681–688 . March 1984 . 6421489 . 10.1016/0092-8674(84)90348-9 . 54312675 .
• Ellison J, Hood L . Linkage and sequence homology of two human immunoglobulin gamma heavy chain constant region genes . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 79 . 6 . 1984–1988 . March 1982 . 6804948 . 346106 . 10.1073/pnas.79.6.1984 . free . 1982PNAS...79.1984E .
• Kenten JH, Molgaard HV, Houghton M, Derbyshire RB, Viney J, Bell LO, Gould HJ . Cloning and sequence determination of the gene for the human immunoglobulin epsilon chain expressed in a myeloma cell line . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 79 . 21 . 6661–6665 . November 1982 . 6815656 . 347188 . 10.1073/pnas.79.21.6661 . free .
• Valenta R, Natter S, Seiberler S, Wichlas S, Maurer D, Hess M, Pavelka M, Grote M, Ferreira F, Szepfalusi Z, Valent P, Stingl G . 6 . Molecular characterization of an autoallergen, Hom s 1, identified by serum IgE from atopic dermatitis patients . The Journal of Investigative Dermatology . 111 . 6 . 1178–1183 . December 1998 . 9856836 . 10.1046/j.1523-1747.1998.00413.x . free .
• Anderson GG, Leaves NI, Bhattacharyya S, Zhang Y, Walshe V, Broxholme J, Abecasis G, Levy E, Zimmer M, Cox R, Cookson WO . 6 . Positive association to IgE levels and a physical map of the 13q14 atopy locus . European Journal of Human Genetics . 10 . 4 . 266–270 . April 2002 . 12032735 . 10.1038/sj.ejhg.5200801 . free .
• Cocco RR, Järvinen KM, Sampson HA, Beyer K . Mutational analysis of major, sequential IgE-binding epitopes in alpha s1-casein, a major cow's milk allergen . The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology . 112 . 2 . 433–437 . August 2003 . 12897753 . 10.1067/mai.2003.1617 . free .
• Hajoui O, Janani R, Tulic M, Joubert P, Ronis T, Hamid Q, Zheng H, Mazer BD . 6 . Synthesis of IL-13 by human B lymphocytes: regulation and role in IgE production . The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology . 114 . 3 . 657–663 . September 2004 . 15356573 . 10.1016/j.jaci.2004.05.034 .
• Takhar P, Smurthwaite L, Coker HA, Fear DJ, Banfield GK, Carr VA, Durham SR, Gould HJ . 6 . Allergen drives class switching to IgE in the nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis . Journal of Immunology . 174 . 8 . 5024–5032 . April 2005 . 15814733 . 10.4049/jimmunol.174.8.5024 . free .
• Batra J, Rajpoot R, Ahluwalia J, Devarapu SK, Sharma SK, Dinda AK, Ghosh B . A hexanucleotide repeat upstream of eotaxin gene promoter is associated with asthma, serum total IgE and plasma eotaxin levels . Journal of Medical Genetics . 44 . 6 . 397–403 . June 2007 . 17220216 . 2740889 . 10.1136/jmg.2006.046607 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Entrez Gene: IGHE immunoglobulin heavy constant epsilon.
2. Web site: IGHE immunoglobulin heavy constant epsilon [Homo sapiens (human)] - Gene - NCBI ]. 2023-10-17 . www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
3. Web site: UniProt . 2023-10-17 . www.uniprot.org.
4. Web site: Genatlas sheet . 2023-11-02 . genatlas.medecine.univ-paris5.fr.
5. Web site: Introduction to Immunoglobulins - US . 2023-11-02 . www.thermofisher.com . en.
6. Web site: Introduction to Immunoglobulins - US . 2023-11-02 . www.thermofisher.com . en.
7. Web site: Immunoglobulin E (IgE) Defined . American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.
8. Web site: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 2014-03-30 . IgE-Mediated Food Allergies . 2023-11-02 . en.